Gul Hamad Farooqi
CHITRAL: Due to recent rains and flood in different nullahs road of Pak-Afghan border area Arando has also been blocked for all vehicular traffic after opening it two days ago. The roads had closed for all kinds of traffic due to the heavy stones and mountains on the road from Mir Khani, Lingorbut, Damil Nisar, Kotai and Ram Ram to Arando. However, On the direction of Deputy Commissioner Chitral AC Drosh, Executive Engineer Communications and Works Department (C&W) Engineer Tariq Murtaza, contractor Shah Muhammad immediately mobilized machineries and started cleansing of these roads. After continuous hard work, these roads were opened for all kinds of traffic, while clearing work on Langor Butt road was also started today. However, from Thursday night, a series of rains continued in Chitral, which led to flood in different nullahs and streams. As a result Arundu road was closed once again for traffic due to flood in Langoorbut nullah which caused passengers to wait for hours and passenger cars face for standing on the road carrying women and children. However, on the direction of the Executive Engineer of C&W department, the contractor’s once again mobilized machinery stands on roadside who was waiting to stop the rainfall as soon as the flood stopped they reponed the road for traffic.
In addition, the C&W department has also started desalting and cleaning work in the Drosh Goal drainage nullah and started channelization in the middle of Drosh goal nullah. In case of water levels raised it did not harm shops and houses on the banks of this stream. Along with the cleansing of these canals and drainage, the C&W department also cleaned the roads of Biori Janjirat, Ursoon, Swear, Shashi Madaglasht and Kotai and opened these roads for all kinds of traffic. Superintendent Engineer of C&W department Munir Ahmed and Executive Engineer Tariq Murtaza also visited Arundo road and instructed their staff as well as the relevant contractor to keep their machinery ready whenever these roads were closed he should to open them Immediately.
Abdul Rahman Baba, an elderly citizen of Drosh, said that because of the Drosh Goal Nulllah, we had to face huge losses repeatedly. Due to raising surface of this nullah by debris it causing for tremendous flood which destroys our fields, homes, and shops. He said that before hitting of flood, this drain should be cleaned and the debris should be removed after its channelaization so that it does not cause trouble for the people of the area. Mohammed Shoaib, resident of Koro village situated on river bank, told this scribe that whenever flood came in this drain, we cannot sleep peacefully because of fear that the floods will not come and take us away. When its channelization work started, we sleep in peace.
Additional Assistant Commissioner Drosh Muhammad Ali said that after the continuous rains, Drosh goal nullah hitting by continues flood and the people living on its bank are suffering from severe losses. He realized that before the flood, the drain should be desalting and debris should be removed so that in case of raising water surface people should be saved from losses.
Haji Sultan, political and social workers of Arundo, said that Arundo is a backward area residents of this valley are considering themselves most ill-fated and bad luck due to government negligence, where even in this modern era, there is no government electricity of WAPDA, no mobile phones, no Internet, DSL or any other network. There is no doctor in its only Rural Health Center since long and this area is badly affected by some natural disasters. He demanded that Arundo is a beautiful but backward area should focus on regular basis, development works should be initiated here so that hardships of these people should be reduced if not possible to eradicated it.
Shahzada Jan is a resident of this area. He said that the road had been closed for ten days. Yesterday, the C&W department had opened it for traffic, but after the flood today, it came to a halt and closed again.
Habibullah is also a resident of Arundo who crossed the flood nullah by feet and crossed it on the risk of his life. He said that unfortunately there is no mobile phone in the area nor internet facilities so that we can report to Rescue 1122 Ambulance or Fire Brigade in case of any emergency situation.
It is worth to mention here that like other areas of Chitral, a massive flood has caused devastation in the Arando area situated on the Pak -Afghan border area, where roads, irrigation channels, Pipe Line as well as people’s houses, shops have also damaged. These victims look for government aid yet. The affected people demand the provincial and federal government to compensate those who have been faced heavy losses and where the roads, bridges, etc. have been destroyed due to floods, they should be restored and rehabilitation work should to assume immediately so that their problems can be reduced.
