Engineers Responsible for Colombo Flooding, Not Politicians, Says Abraham Qureshi

United Labour Force Chairman Abraham Qureshi has blamed engineers attached to the Colombo Municipal Council for the recent flooding in Colombo, arguing that technical failures and inadequate maintenance of the city's drainage infrastructure were largely responsible for the situation.

Speaking to the media, Qureshi criticised Opposition politicians, including Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP S.M. Marikkar, for attempting to use the flooding to gain political advantage.

Questioning Marikkar's criticism of the Colombo Municipal Council, Qureshi asked what he had done previously to address the city's recurring flooding problems.

He maintained that Colombo had experienced flooding even during his own school days, arguing that the issue was not new and should not be turned into a political controversy.

Qureshi claimed that the city's drainage and sewage systems were approximately 45 years old and required proper maintenance and attention from the relevant technical authorities.

He argued that engineers working for the Colombo Municipal Council should be held accountable for failing to fulfil their responsibilities, adding that the situation could have been avoided if the engineering officials had properly carried out their duties.

He also stressed that the political authorities should know how to ensure that engineers and relevant officials perform their responsibilities effectively.

Qureshi further accused the Opposition of attempting to exploit the recent rainfall for political purposes rather than focusing on the underlying technical issues contributing to Colombo's recurring flooding.