Punjab CM orders monitoring of rivers flow

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar ordered the departments concerned on Tuesday to remain fully vigilant and continuously monitor the flow of rivers to cope with the threat of floods in the monsoon season.

He was chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee for disaster management to review the departmental preparedness for countering any possible threat of flood.

The CM said the PDMA’s control room should monitor the situation.

He said best coordination should be ensured between the federal and provincial departments.

He called for a district-level emergency plan and said inspection committees should review arrangements by holding regular meetings.

Chief Minister Buzdar expressed displeasure over a delay in the cleanliness of drainage streams and said the work should have been completed in June. Action will be initiated against those responsible for the delay, he said. He issued directives for the cleanliness of nullas on an emergency basis and submission of a report in this regard.

He said all arrangements should be completed at the earliest to deal with urban flooding. Third-party audit will be conducted to evaluate the safety of dykes and flood protection spurs of rivers. A comprehensive plan should be devised for drainage of water in cities, he added.

He said the PDMA director general should ensure the availability of necessary equipment in warehouses and dewatering sets should be kept functional.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2020.