KARACHI: Mayor Wasim Akhtar said that encroachments and dumping of garbage in and around the Malir and Lyari rivers was a threat and if nothing was done to stop these illegal activities, those living around these waterways could face severe consequencesincaseofheavy rains.

Briefing the media at his office on Thursday after visiting both rivers, he said that a large number of encroachments had come up in and around the Lyari and Malir rivers and a huge quantity of solid waste, garbage andbuilding material was being dumped on the river beds unchecked on a daily basis.

He said that a large number of plots had also been leased out to many people in and around the rivers over the years. All these illegal activities, the mayor added, had not only narrowed the rivers but their capacity to drain rainwater has also decreased.

Both rivers did not come in the jurisdiction of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation as the rivers were looked after by the irrigation department and land leases were granted by the Board of Revenue.

However, he was raising the issue asin case ofheavy rains people would suffer, as it hadoccurred earlier too.

Rainwater had overflowed the embankments and entered the adjoining localities during the 1975 floods with Shah Faisal Colony, Landhi and Korangi Industrial Estates and adjoining areas inundated, causing heavy loss of lives and property.

Mayor Alchtar demanded that an immediate ban be imposed on dumping of solid waste, garbage and scrap in the Malir and Lyari rivers andlandleasesin and around these natural waterways be cancelled so that people did not face any hardships or losses in case of heavy rains/ floods.