Govt depts told to take necessary measures for ‘super flood’ situation

The education department has been directed to submit a list of schools which can be used as relief camps

HYDERABAD: In view of reports of climate change and weather forecast by Pakistan Meteorological Department, Hyderabad Commissioner Muhammad Abbass Baloch has asked all government departments to prepare for the super flood situation.

During a meeting at his office in Hyderabad on Monday, Baloch directed officials of health, education, irrigation, local government, livestock and other departments to submit reports about their preparedness to his office.

The education department was directed to submit a list of schools which could be used as relief camps, though the government’s priority would be to accommodate displaced people in the tent cities.

Irrigation officials sought the commissioner’s support for removing encroachments on the riverbed and the privately built illegal levees which both obstruct the flow of river water. The irrigation officials said that following the 2010 super flood, the height of all river embankments in Sindh has been raised by six feet.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2019.