Residents along Leh move to safe places

Five flood relief camps set up to accommodate victims of possible flooding

RAWALPINDI:

With the onset of the premonsoon season, people living along Nullah Leh and 10 other drains and tributaries of Rawalpindi have started to move to safe places as the water level continues to surge in the city’s largest channel after three days of rain.

A large number of people residing in low-lying areas on IJP Road and Sawan River have started shifting along with their valuables and belongings to their relatives or rented sites.

Some residents along the Sawan River have even begun securing their cattle pens as the rising water posed a constant threat.

Meanwhile, the district administration has set up five flood relief camps to deal with possible flooding.

The army’s 111th infantry brigade has also been put on red alert.

The flood relief camps have been set up at Islamia Higher Secondary School No-1 Murree, Islamia High School No-4, Liaquat Bagh, Girls School New Katarian, Gawalmandi Girls School and Dhok Ratha Girls School.

The education department has been entrusted with the responsibility for the accommodation of the flood victims in these relief camps.

The food delivery responsibility has been handed over to the finance department while the medicines and medical care will be the responsibility of the health department.

The police will be responsible for providing security to them. The flood relief camps will remain in place till September 15.

Three control rooms have also been set up to monitor the flood victims during continuous heavy rains.

The central control room has been set up at the Civil Defence office where army representatives will also be present.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noorul-Amin Mengal has also issued orders for monitoring 250 dilapidated and leaking buildings across the district during heavy rains. The commissioner has also directed the agencies concerned to send teams to re-inspect all dilapidated buildings and the residents should be evacuated immediately.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has decided to allow owners of all old and dilapidated buildings within its jurisdiction to repair them. The owners or tenants of the run-down buildings have been asked to obtain licences immediately from the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board to carry out the repair work.

The district administration has also declared a rain emergency and holidays of employees of all agencies concerned have been cancelled.

The Civil Defense Department has also issued a red alert and has deployed 300 volunteers in low-lying areas of the city and instructed them to reach the affected areas as soon as the rains begin.

Meanwhile, the rains have brought a smile to the faces of farmers as it has positively impacted the country’s cultivation zones.

The farmers, after the rain, were hopeful for better crop yields for this season, especially for sugar cane, rice, cotton and other staple crops.

Muhammad Irfan, a farmer from district Muzaffargarh, said that the rain has provided a new life to crops which were rotting.

Ghulam Hussain, a farmer from Bakkhar, said the rains brought the happiest days for farmers as improved crop yields would help them meet their expenditures.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT APP