The Express Tribune 10 October 2020
Murky waters
Blackish grey sand and greyish blue water is typical of Karachi’s Sea View and Clifton beaches. Stinking smell that greets the beachgoers from very far is an additional hallmark. All this because all the sewage that this city of some 20 million souls generates ends up in these waters – utterly untreated. And it’s been happening for years and years with criminal apathy on the part of the caretakers of this so-called jewel in Pakistan’s crown. Let it be known that under Section 11 of the SEPA Act, 2014, untreated waste – whether solid or liquid – cannot be disposed of into the sea.
Strangely though, the vast inter-connected drainage system in Karachi is designed to carry both sewage and rainwater into the sea untreated. See how: most of the underground sewerage lines in Karachi lead to some 64 big open drains which are supposed to take the wastewater to the city’s two major streams known as Malir River and Lyari River. Both the rivers flow south to the sea. Besides, five more major drains directly lead to the backwaters of Mai Kolachi. Besides, under a regular practice during the monsoon season, drains are opened onto the seashore to release the rainwater – which turns toxic while making a move and accumulating at places – into the sea. In the wake of the heavy rains that lashed the city in August, as many as six such drains have been opened onto the Clifton beach to provide an outlet for the rainwater that had nowhere else to go.
It goes without saying that the city’s drainage system has been the biggest contributor to the sea pollution. Temporary solutions to dispose of the wastewater are not just affecting seaside residents and beachgoers, but the marine life as well, thereby damaging the whole ecology. It’s about time the Sindh government focused on introducing water treatment facilities. Singapore can be a model to follow which treats every single drop of water for reuse.
Wheat import
We are never tired of saying Pakistan is an agricultural country, but ironically seldom are we self-sufficient in basic food items like wheat, sugar and lentils. This is an incredible situation, especially when it occurs oftener. Now the country is facing a wheat crisis – the staple food of the people – together with a sugar crisis. Since January this year wheat flour is being sold at Rs70 a kilogramme, about which shopkeepers and consumers say they have never seen the price of this basic commodity so high.
The cat came out of the bag early this year when the flour mills association increased the price of wheat flour to Rs70 a kg, following an apparent shortage of wheat in the country. In order to control the rising price of wheat because of the supply-demand gap, the government announced the import of a large quantity of the commodity. It has reportedly placed orders for the import of 330,000 tonnes of wheat. The imported wheat would cost the government Rs1,977 per 40kg. So the provinces will pay a subsidy of more than Rs500 per 40kg on the release of the imported wheat at the government rate. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan is to import 700,000 tonnes of wheat for Punjab and 300,000 tonnes for K-P. Sindh has shown no interest in the imported wheat. Punjab and K-P will release wheat at the official rate, which is Rs1,475 per 40kg in both the provinces. The difference of more than Rs500 will be borne by the provincial governments in the form of subsidy.
Let us see of which quality is the imported wheat, because in the very recent past we have seen substandard quality of wheat flour being supplied to consumers. Also, it is unclear whether the price of wheat flour will come down after the imported wheat arrives in the market. We expect percussive concussion, concussive percussion and endless discussion on the issue in the media.
Whitmer kidnap plot
The American Federal Bureau of Investigation and Michigan state officials have revealed in a court filing that they are charging at least 13 people in a massive plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Earlier this year, Whitmer, a Democrat, had become a major target of US President Donald Trump’s ire as he tried to divert attention from his incompetent handling of the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis at the federal level. She was an easy target. She was from the other political party. Her state was considered a toss-up for the presidential election, and — keeping Trump’s history of misogyny in mind — she was a woman.
But Whitmer, whose state policies were sensible and in line with the best practices adopted by most countries and states that actually cared about their citizens, eventually did throw shade back at Trump. Being slighted, and that too by a woman, was too much for Trump. He literally called for domestic militias — which would be considered terrorist groups in any civilised country — to “liberate Michigan”. Hundreds of militiamen descended on the state capital and went toe-to-toe with the local police, although serious violence was avoided, mostly because America has a rich history of not killing armed white men threatening violence.
The 13 people charged on Thursday are members or affiliates of militias that were involved in those earlier protests. Outside their leader’s home, the police found a Confederate flag — flown by literal traitors during the civil war — and the “Original 13” flag — which has been adopted by some white supremacist groups. Investigators also said the accused men wanted to instigate a civil war. Meanwhile, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Donald Trump’s media allies are accusing Whitmer of being responsible for the incident, rather than the man that called for an insurrection against her.
The US is quick to drop bombs on terrorists all over the world for perceived threats to Americans. It is a welcome change that they have finally started taking some action against the genuine threat presented by domestic white supremacist terrorists. Real change, however, will not come as long as a white supremacist sympathiser occupies the White House.
