KARACHI: Slum dwellers in Karachi have stopped the demolition of thousands of homes by mapping flood risks from clogged drains, offering a feasible solution to other informal settlements facing climate change impacts, urban experts said. Residents, who had always insisted that the flooding was mainly caused by drains blocked with rubbish and sludge, teamed up with non-profit organisations to map the drainage network. “They generated their own evidence to uncover the reasons – overlooked by authorities – why Karachi floods,” said Arif Hasan, an architect and planner who backed the mapping project. Their map showed only about 40 houses needed to be removed to leave the drains clear, said Mohammad Sirajuddin, head of TTRC, who led the mapping project. “When youths in the settlements are trained in mapping, they better understand the risks they face,” said TTRC’s Sirajuddin.

Source: Pakistan Today April 12, 2021 09:00 UTC