KARACHI: The consultative process for addressing the problem of flooding, due to rains, in Karachi has initiated and a meeting of all stake holders in this connection was held here in Karachi to find out a solution on permanent basis.

The meeting, jointly organized by the Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), the Planning and Development (P&D) Department, and the World Bank discussed the use of flood water for non-potable purposes such as gardening and firefighting by constructing underground water storage tanks which will also help preventing urban flooding in Karachi, said a statement received here.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chief Economist P&D Aslam Soomro, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist, World Bank Ahsen Tehsin and Aslam Leghari of Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP).

The meeting discussed the flood water to be reused for non-potable purposes such as gardening and fire fighting by constructing underground storage water tanks which will also help in prevention of urban flooding in Karachi.

Discussion regarding use of storm water for recharging the ground water/water table was also focused. It was also highlighted by the participants that ground water depletion has become a major issue and some areas of Karachi did not have sweet water due to ground water depletion.

The project implementation unit SFERP intends to hire a consultancy firm to conduct a feasibility study for the underground storm water storage facilities aimed at flood prevention within the Karachi Division. The firm so engaged will be tasked to identify locations where inundation events have occurred in the recent past and propose construction of underground storm water storage tanks.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024