PM visited flood-hit areas and distributed Relief goods at displaced camp
Nazir Siyal/Mansoor Pirzada
LARKANA/GHOTKI: Prime Minister Mohammed Nawaz Sharif visited the sensitive flood-hit areas of River Indus particularly Shaink-Band Ghotiki here on Tuesday and announced Rs. 1 billion relief package to rehabilitate displaced population of flood-affected areas of province.
Prime minister inspected the ongoing relief activities and visited relief camp of flood affectees in Qadirpur met with the affected people of Katcha areas and distributed relief goods on the occasion.
PM vowed to rehabilitate the flood-hit areas on priority and directed the concerned authorities’ particularly NDMA and local administration to provide complete relief to the displaced communities.
The Prime Minister inspected the condition of Qadirpur bund near Ghotki, Ulra Jagir in Khairpur and other ongoing work and relief activities and said that he understands current situation of flood affectees monitoring the situation and the difficulties of Sindh.
Prime Minister took an aerial view of flood-hit areas of Guddu, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Ghotki, Sukkur and attended briefing at Qadirpur Shiank-Band and attended briefing by the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Senior Minister for Information and irrigation Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Provincial Ministers Ali Nawaz maher, Jam Mehtab Dahar and top Sindh Government officials, Chairman NDMA, DG PDMA Sindh, Incharge Camp Office, Chief Engineer Sukkur & Chief Engineer Guddu Barrages, officials from Sindh Irrigation Department along with representatives of local civil and military officials.
PM Nawaz on the occasion, directed authorities to prepare a report about damages caused by torrential floods this year and federal government would help flood-hit areas without any delay, adding that the federal government would not leave them alone and will take all measures to relief their sufferings.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the federal and provincial government should strengthen the protective embankments of River Indus to halt future flood situation in country. The on-going flood in River Indus has displaced over 375,000 people settled in the katcha area of three districts, Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki, apart from displacement of people 350,000 acre standing crops have been flooded in recent floods in Sindh.
Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah briefed Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif about the losses and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah took aerial view of the flood affected areas.
On the occasion, Prime Minister was told that the floods have affected 375,535 people in three districts, Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki. “In Khairpur 157,490 people have been displaced while 123,045 in Sukkur and 95,000 in Ghotki district,” CM Sindh added that over all 218 livestock have been lost in the flood and standing crops over 350,445 acres have been washed away and 7272 houses have damaged either fully or partially.
Whereas, the Commissioner Sukkur Abbas Baloch briefed to the prime minister, he told that 131 boats have been arranged to evacuate people from Katcha area of the said three districts. “Out of 131 boats 18 have been provided by Pak army 16, 2 by Pakistan Navy, Rangers 27 and PDMA 70 boats have been hired,” he said.
He further told that in 38 camps of the three districts, 43431 people have taken shelter and they have been provided 7140 ration bags. “We have provided them medical facilities by setting up 43 dispensaries, including 12 mobile dispensaries. Over 103500 cattles have ben vaccinated,” he said.
Giving details about the rain fall, the commissioner said that in Ghotki it was recorded at 443.37 mm, 285.01 in Sukkur and 254.25 mm in Khairpur. “This heavy rain fall claimed seven lives in Khairpur and one in Sukkur,” he said.
The DG PDMA, Syed Salman Shah also gave presentation on the relief work carried out by his organization (PDMA).
Irrigation and Information Minister Nisar Khuhro briefing the prime minister said that upstream Guddu Barrage was754005 on August 3 and it has reduced today at 720,000 and downstream 700,000 today. “Today at Sukkur Barrage it is upstream 700050 and 660,000 downstream and at Kotri it has been recorded at 320,000,” he said.
Talking about vulnerable points, Mr Khuhro said they are 5o in Sukkur and Larkana regions, of them eight are on the left ban of Sukkur region and 17 on the right banks of River Indus in Sukkur and Larkana region, five in Guddu Barrage, three on Left Bank Canal Area Water Board, Badin four in Ghotki Feeder Canal area water board and eight in Kotri Barrage Region, Hyderabad.
Secretary Irrigation Zaheer Hyder Shah giving brief history history said that Qadirpur main Bund was washed out from mile 2/6 to 10/4 during super flood of 1973. The remaining portion of the bund from mile ½ to 2/6 was renamed Qadirpur Shank Bund and maintained for protection of Qadirpur Loop Bund. “OGDCL management constructed bund to pr5otect their gas wells situated in the riverian area in front of L.M Old Bund and connected it with Shank. As a result, river current has been diverted and directed to Qadirpur Shank Bund and Qadirpur Loop Bund at mile 5/0.
Prime Minister assured the Sindh chief minister that the issue with OGDCL would be settled once the floods over.
The secretary further said that Qadirpur Bund was eroded during super flood of 2010 from mile 1/7 to 2/6 which activated Kari Dhandh (Bl;ack Lake) towards Qadirpur Loop Bund at mile 5/0. The IRC proposal of plugging breach of Qadirpur Shank Bund was put up and approved in IRC meeting on November 8, 2010 and its PC-I of Rs279.472 million was approved by PDWP and was submitted to ministry of water & power (flood Commission) for further approval which is still pending.
Mr Zaheer Hyder Shah said that a joint inspection was carried out with OGDCL on April 30, 2014 and jointly a PC-1 of Rs169.995 million was prepared to strengthen Shank Bund. But the OGDCL has only released Rs16.63 million. “The amount is not enough to complete the remaining work,” he said.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah welcoming Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he had always been helping hand to his government and province of Sindh. “Prime Minister has taken aerial view of the flood devastation. We are not only looking after the flood affected people but looking after them properly from our resources.”
Later, Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro while talking to the media at different locations, he said if any embankment will damaged or breach will be complete responsibly of irrigation officials. He said all those who constructed protective embankments (Zaminadari Band) inside River indus, they should remove themselves otherwise Sindh Government will take action against those landlords he said.
Regarding rescue and relief activities only in Sukkur1189 patients were treated at established relief camps at protective dykes in Sukkur district, where 16 doctors and 66 medical staff deputed at medical camps and mobile patrolling teams.
The reports told that 12 different medical camps of health department along with 16 mobile medical teams on patrolling to provide treatment facilities to inhabitants of Katcha areas.
There are numerous skin and waterborne diseases spread over about 187 patients of skin diseases, 71 of eye infection and 746 of general diseases were observed and treated at medical camps and mobile teams Sukkur authorities told, while among 66 children were also vaccinated during the routine immunization they told.