KARACHI: As intermittent showers kept civic authorities on their toes the entire day, the Sindh High Court on Friday expressed resentment over the city administration for not enforcing the directives of the Supreme Court regarding de-silting of all storm water drains and removal of all encroachments.

A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Mohammad Abdur Rahman, directed the Karachi commissioner to inspect all the storm water drains across the city and ensure their cleaning as well as removal of unauthorised structures from them.In the past, the judiciary had to step in on various junctures to address the issues of the city`s drains after the Sindh government and city administration had failed to timely take any initiative for de-silting nullahs before the monsoon seasons.

In 2022, the poor sewerage and drain infrastructure had caused flooding during the torrential rains in the city, including the posh areas like Defence Housing Authority and Clifton.

Citing the local government secretary, commissioner, district administration concerned and others as respondents, a woman had approached the SHC in 2022, seeking implementation of apex court orders about removal of encroachments around nullahs as well as de-silting of such nullahs.

The petitioner submitted that the city administration was not taking any initiative for cleaning of nullahs and the drains located in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, and that other parts of the city had also been encroached upon.

She asked the SHC to issue directives to the respondents for proper implementation of apex court orders.

The bench expressed resentment over the city administration for not enforcing the directives issued by the apex court in letter and spirit.

Justice Panhwar remarked that besides removal of encroachments, the Supreme Court had also ordered cleaningofdrainsinthe cityand askedthe authorities concerned whether the de-silting of drains had been carried out.

The petitionercontended thatneitherthe encroachments had been cleared in and around various drains in district East and other parts of metropolitan nor had the cleaning process been initiated yet.

The bench deplored that the officials concerned used to file ambiguous and vague replies on the court directives.

It asked the commissioner to personally visit the drains along with the petitioner and take serious efforts to implement the apex court orders about encroachments and cleaning of such drains.

It also directed the commissioner to come up on March 26 along with compliance report.

It may be recalled that a demolition drive was carried out along three major drains in the city: Gujjar, Mehmoodabad, and Orangi Town nullahs in order to widen them on the orders of the apex court in 2020-21, rendering thousands of families homeless.

In the past, the Supreme Court had also ordered the provincial and city administration on various occasions about cleaning of drains following the inaction of authorities concerned and complaints of the city mayor about lack of funds.