Flood preparation: Use prisoners in an emergency, says CM

Sindh prepares to combat floods under commissioner system.

KARACHI:

If there is an emergency, the administration and police should use prisoners to strengthen the bunds or levees, said the chief minister at a meeting on Tuesday.

CM Qaim Ali Shah met with administrators to discuss how the province would deal with any floods under the new commissionerate system.

Shah remarked that all commissioners, deputy commissioners, and officers from the new system of local government and officers from the police department should be vigilant during the monsoons; they should take notice of heavy downpours and assess the possibility of floods in the province.

He said that preventive and precautionary measures should be evolved to combat the situation, this included the cleaning of nallahs, drains and sewerage systems. Shah added that in case of a breakdown of electricity, alternate arrangements should be made in all towns and cities.

Shah asked respective engineers, officers of irrigation, administration and the police department to have strict vigilance on bunds.

He directed the health, livestock, and other departments to ensure that in case a natural disaster occurs, they can provide health facilities to people and livestock.

The meeting was held at CM House and was attended by the law minister, Ayaz Soomro, the Sindh senior member of the board of revenue Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, IG police Wajid Ali Durrani, secretary for local government Ali Ahmed Loond, law secretary Ghulam Nabi Shah and the additional chief secretary Waseem Ahmed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2011.