Hyderabad puts on its raincoat

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad district is all set for the monsoons, with 39 buildings earmarked as potential relief camps, said Hyderabad Administrator Aftab Ahmed Khatri at a meeting on Monday.

These buildings can be quickly turned into relief camps under the supervision of the executive district office community development and DO revenue. The City District Government Hyderabad prepared a contingency plan to deal with heavy rainfall in the upcoming monsoons. According to Khatri, the Sindh Relief Department will ensure that there is a sufficient ration stock, including rice, flour, sugar, ghee, biscuits and powdered milk, in case of emergency.

Meanwhile, the health department has been tasked with preparing a stock of medicines and ensuring mobile health teams in such a scenario. The administrator asked the water and sanitation agency to ensure that all pumping stations are working so that rainwater can be siphoned off quickly. The managing director of the agency reassured Khatri that all 78 pumping machines of the department are working and if required, an additional 25 pumping machines can be installed.

Hesco was instructed to provide an uninterrupted power supply while the irrigation department was told to check the strength of the embankments at the River Indus.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 26th, 2010.