KARACHI, June 11: Speakers at a seminar on Thursday called for promoting co-ordination among civic agencies with a better sense of responsibility to cope effectively with possible emergencies, which might arise during monsoon rains.

"People can play a vital role rather than the government in handling the situation, as they are more in number and are themselves victims of disasters the rains bring along every year," they observed.

The seminar on "How Prepared Are We for the Rains?" was organised by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) on its premises. They said all civic agencies should make all-out efforts for the coming rainy season, while it should be left to the public to judge the standard and quality of work.

Deputy managing director, Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) Sulaiman Chandio, principal information officer, KESC Sultan Hasan and Dr Seemi Jamali, Deputy Director JPMC spoke.

Chandio spelling out the nature of work of KWSB said emergency centres were established in all towns besides the city nazim's secretariat and governor house to receive public complaints and take remedial measures.

He cited the draining out of rain water into the city's sewerage system instead of storm water drains as the main reason for the system's collapse in the last many years, and held town administrations responsible for it, since the drainage system was responsibility of towns and had nothing to do with KWSB.

"This leads to many problems mainly choking of sewerage system, consequently causing overflow of sewerage water, and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies to spread communicable diseases," he said.

He informed that KWSB had spent Rs10 million to replace the lines choked by diversion of rain water in the last season. He said measures were being taken for the rains, and a number of meetings with the city nazim and DCO Karachi had been held to review arrangements.

Sultan Hasan said that KESC prepared an action plan every year for monsoon rains and the same was being done for this season as well with the co-ordination of all concerned departments and city government.

Regarding complaints of power outage especially during rains, he said electricity distribution system becomes overloaded, as the supply and demand of electricity are not in proportion to each other.

However, he said: "KESC received less complaints compared to years before in rainy seasons, while a single case of electrocution was reported in which a minor had expired in Mauripur," he added.

Commenting on the problems confronting KESC, particularly power theft in Karachi, he said the department had developed a technical plan. Power would be supplied through high-tension lines on which kunda system does not work.

He hoped that upgrading of the distribution network, replacement of obsolete cables and improvement in grid stations would lead to uninterrupted power supply in the city in the days to come.

Seemi Jamali observed that rain had become a problem instead of a blessing for the people of Karachi, as it added to the miseries of people. Communicable diseases spread due to stagnant water, she added. -PPI