Punjab Chief Minister visiting flood hit areas. PHOTO: APP
LAHORE:
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday visited flood victims in Sialkot and Narowal.
He said the government was working round-the-clock to provide them relief.
He said rations and medicines would be provided to people in areas where roads were no longer serviceable.
He mentioned that discharge of 40,000 cusecs water had been reported in Aik river in Sialkot which had a capacity of only 5,000 cusecs.
He said rains had damaged crops and houses, adding that a survey of losses was being taken to provide compensation to the affected farmers. He said Rs500,000 each would be given to displaced families.
The chief minister ordered the Health Department to set up medical camps in the flooded areas.
He said the Punjab government had evolved a programme for the relief and rehabilitation of marooned people and relief camps had been set up in the affected areas. Shahbaz said he was being updated about the flood situation on a regular basis.
Later, the chief minister took a ground and aerial view of the flood affected areas of Sialkot city, Bajwat, Baddomalhi, Narowal, Zafarwal, Pasroor and Mehal.
Earlier, the irrigation secretary and DCOs of Sialkot and Narowal gave a detailed briefing to the chief minister regarding the flood situation and relief activities in their areas. Elected representatives informed the chief minister about the problems of the flood affectees.
Reprimanding Gujranwala commissioner and Sialkot DCO for showing laxity in relief activities, the chief minister said, “Now is not the time for meetings behind closed doors. Practical steps are needed to help the citizens.”
Federal Minister Zahid Hamid, Irrigation Minister Yawar Zaman, elected representatives of Narowal and Sialkot as well as officers of the divisional and district administration were also present on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2013.
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