Breaches in dykes: ‘Tori bund repairs to stretch along 5,000 sq ft’

KANDHKOT: The Tori Bund breaches, spread over 5,000 square feet, are being plugged, the Sindh chief minister was told on Friday.

Qaim Ali Shah visited Tori Bund with ministers Nadir Magsi and Agha Siraj Durrani, the Guddu Barrage chief engineer Amjad Ali Jatoi and irrigation officials. There were at least six breaches and all of them are being repaired.

The irrigation officials informed him that the law and order situation has become worse and that caused delays. They requested him to set up check-posts for the Rangers and the police.

Shah told the media that the federal government has yet to give them the Rs5 billion. Despite a lack of money, the Sindh government started work, he said. Rehabilitation of flood survivors and the affected areas will be done at all costs, he added.

The Sindh government has already given each flood-affected family Rs20,000 and the remaining Rs40,000 have yet to be distributed by the federal government. The president has formed special teams to monitor repair work, which must be of top quality and no neglect will be tolerated, Shah said.

As he left the Tori Bund site, the chief minister’s car was surrounded by flood survivors, who complained that they have still not received any compensation. He assured them that he will take care of them.

Upon reaching Kandhkot city, Shah addressed the Pakistan Peoples Party workers’ convention. The present government gave jobs to several people this year and will continue to do so in the future. He promised that the government will complete its tenure.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2011.