Lahore: Lahore Commissioner Noman Yousaf on Wednesday reviewed monsoon preparedness during field visits to various drainage and rainwater management sites across the provincial capital.
He inspected ongoing desilting operations and the construction progress of underground water storage tanks.
The commissioner visited Shadman Drain, Barkat Market underground water tank, Garden Town, Gaddafi Stadium underground water tank and Satukatla Drain, where WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed briefed him on drain desilting and water tank projects. He informed the commissioner that all major drains had undergone phased desilting before the onset of the monsoon, while cleaning operations would continue throughout the rainy season.
Commissioner Noman Yousaf directed authorities to maintain uninterrupted desilting of all city drains to minimise the risk of urban flooding and instructed officials to give special attention to low-lying areas vulnerable to water accumulation.
He said the construction of underground water tanks had significantly reduced the number of rain emergency hotspots in Lahore and ordered that all under-construction water tank sites remain completely closed to the public for safety reasons.
The commissioner reiterated that, in line with the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, rainwater drainage should be completed in the shortest possible time to ensure public convenience during the monsoon.