Negligence Or Necessity? The Alarming Rise In Stolen Drain Covers

Khowla Zarafshan

The drains built in streets and neighborhoods to carry sewage water are an essential part of our daily lives. Relevant authorities install protective grills over these drains to ensure that pedestrians - especially children and the elderly - remain safe from accidents.

Initially, these grills are properly installed and in good condition. However, over time, due to water flow, weather effects, and human negligence, they become damaged. In some cases, drug addicts or opportunistic individuals remove and sell them.

Within a short period, these drains and gutters become clogged with filth, creating serious difficulties and dangers for passersby. For children and the elderly in particular, these open drains turn into death traps and frequently cause accidents.

A few days ago, I was watching a report about open manholes in Peshawar. It was surprising to learn that in 42 union councils of Peshawar, 6,260 manhole covers are either missing or broken, according to documents from the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP).

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WSSP has requested Rs57.9 million in funding from the local government to replace the covers, including 1,707 fifteen-ton, 3,169 six-ton, and 1,384 two-ton manholes.

If this is the condition in Peshawar city, one can only imagine the situation in the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Similarly, in Pakistan's major cities - particularly Karachi - incidents of missing manhole covers are frequently reported, resulting in dangerous accidents involving both children and adults.

The government installs these covers and grills to protect us, but due to our negligence and apathy, we neither safeguard them nor prevent those who steal and sell such essential items.

This raises an important question:

Has the number of drug addicts in our society increased, or has rising inflation forced people to remove and sell these grills to scrap dealers?

Although there are responsible and conscientious citizens in our society who help protect these grills and covers, unfortunately, they are very few in number.

If we truly want to prevent these grills from being stolen, concrete flooring should be constructed around them after installation so that they cannot be easily removed.

For additional protection, the grills should be painted and manufactured from thick, durable, high-quality angle iron and steel bars so that they can withstand soil, water, and harsh weather conditions.

The facilities provided by the government must be properly used, maintained, and protected - this is a shared responsibility of us all.

This is our country, and safeguarding it is our foremost duty so that we can provide future generations with a safe, clean, and better Pakistan.

Note: This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the organization.

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