Fehmida Mirza in Badin: 1.4 million hit by floods, WAPDA's ill planning cost billions

Launches telehealth service facility, calls for a consultative report on LBOD project.


August 22, 2011

BADIN: Speaker National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza said on Monday that around 1.4 million people from Badin district were severely hit by the recent heavy rains, besides the heavy damage to infrastructure.

Both Federal and Sindh Provincial Governments are striving hard to provide maximum relief to the affectees in the district and for their rehabilitation.

Addressing officials of concerned departments of the district government at Darbar Hall on Monday, the Speaker said that after completion of rescue and relief work in the affected areas, rehabilitation of rain hit victims would be started.

She informed that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has started a telemedicine system with the objective to provide medical facilities to rain affected people on modern lines besides provision of maximum relief facilities on behalf of the federal and provincial governments.

She informed that due to the closure of irrigation channels in order to save people from flooding, directives were issued to install hand pumps in rain hit areas in order to overcome the shortage of drinking water.

The Speaker expressed reservations on the role of the Red Crescent Society in carrying out relief work in an effective manner in the district, however, said that there is a need for collaborated efforts to work for rain victims.

Ill-planning of WAPDA caused billion of rupees in losses in Badin: Dr Fehmida Mirza

Earlier the speaker said that due to WAPDA and World Bank’s ill planning on the LBOD project had caused damage worth billions of rupees in Badin.

She said that the federal, provincial and district governments have been handling the situation using their own sources and neither the international community nor social agencies have supported the rain affected people of Badin.

She was talking to people during a visit of the rain-hit areas of the district, said a fax message received from Badin on Monday, adding that 414 relief camps were established and 200,000 displaced people were provided food, tents and other essential items.

The speaker said that besides heavy rainfall, breaches in Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) also caused huge devastation in the area; therefore, the government has decided to prepare a comprehensive report in consultation with the elected representatives of all the four districts so that an effective strategy could be evolved to avert such losses in case of breach.

She added that it was shocking for her to learn that the storage water capacity was not available for 24 hours in Badin city and other adjoining areas and that she had called Secretary Public Health and its staff to resolve the issue of water scarcity on priority basis.

Dr Fehmida Mirza said that a health plan for 46 Union Councils was devised as well as a free help line was introduced by the National Disaster Management establishing their Tele Health Services on their toll free number 080011121from which people will get free disease related suggestions

The Speaker also inaugurated the help line at Darbar Hall.

She said that an aerial view of drains through satellite service would be carried out to find out that how administration could drain out the standing water.

MPA Dr Sikandar Mandhor, DCO Badin Dr Kazim Hussain Jatoi, party workers were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile Shezra and Aliza, daughters of the Speaker, also visited the children’s ward at the Civil Hospital Badin and distributed sweets and gifts amongst the children.

COMMENTS (5)

Salman Ul Haque | 12 years ago | Reply Pohnch gai aunty vote lainay.
H.A. Khan | 12 years ago | Reply

"She informed that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has started a telemedicine system with the objective to provide medical facilities....."

Does she know what she is talking about: Telemedicine requires high bandwidth internet connection,proper facilities to upload data and then receive advice.

BUT credit to her she is in her constituency and visiting people affected by floods. This is what other elected members should do

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