Three died falling into open manhole, Karachi authorities haven't budged

KARACHI: In what qualifies as ruthless on part of the authorities concerned for feeling no remorse over their criminal negligence which incurred losses of innocent human lives, at least three people, including a 12-year-old boy, died after falling into an open manhole in New Karachi’s Saba Cinema area, ARY News reported Sunday.

What makes matters worse is that the manhole, despite three days into the matter and three lost lives, still has no covers as if the carnage at the hands of authorities’ dereliction of duties meant little to nothing at all for no one came to address the matter of public suffering.

The concerned citizens of the area found it upon themselves to take due measures so any future mishaps and accidents resulting in damages and even life loss can be avoided as has been the case earlier this week.

Late Thursday night a 12-year-old boy slipped into the manhole while playing. Going to his rescue was a rickshaw driver who went voluntarily into the sewer opening but to no avail and both remained stuck inside for hours before the rescue operation could be on the scene.

The rescue personnel brought a crane to lift the man and the boy but after efforts bore no fruits he himself jumped into the manhole as well and all three died due to no right backup in place.

It may be recalled the body of the minor boy was recovered from the sewer later that night while the body of the rescue personnel who took the plunged was only retrieved after a day, but no news surfaced on the rickshaw driver.

Despite its dangers posed to humans indiscriminately, the authorities are not budged in the least.

Similarly, a manhole right downhill the Liaquatabad bridge leading to Teen Hatti (Trinity) poses similar threats as the speeding vehicles have a little window to anticipate it while anytime after dark, due to the lack of road lighting, the peril exacerbates posing heightened threat.

Even the make-shift warnings the locals put up by erecting stands on the manhole or with overlaid blocks covering them benefit the motorists little if at all but since the people responsible don’t heed the warnings and news and the sufferings of the masses, this has been the only possible solution.