Construction, strengthening of embankments ordered

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the unusual heavy downpour followed by hill torrents have wreaked havoc in Kambar-Shahdadkot district, therefore mud embankment should be developed to save main roads and arteries connecting different cities and towns in the area.

This he said on Tuesday while presiding over a meeting to take stock of the situation after heavy rains here at DC Office, Kambar.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers, Imtiaz Shaikh, Nasir Shah, Mukesh Chawla, Advisor Rehabilitation Rasool Bux Chandio, and elected representative of the district including Nadir Khan Magsi, Sardar Khan Chandio and others, divisional and district administration officers.

At the outset of the meeting, the PPP chairman said "I have noticed that Larkana-Shahdadkot Road which connects various towns and villages is being overtopped by rain water being gushed out further by hill torrents," he said and directed the chief minister to make arrangements to develop mud embankments along the main road to stop the speedy flow of water.

The chief minister directed chief engineer irrigation to review the situation and arrange machinery to stop overtop and erosion of roads by rainwater.

Deputy Commissioner Kammber-Shahdadkot briefing the chairman said that district has seven talukas and commutative rainfall in the district from July to August has been recorded at 2,372mm, as a result 34 people lost their lives and 461 sustained multiple injuries in different incidents of collapsing of houses.

The meeting was told that about 900,000 people have been affected, of them 30,000 displaced and 800 cattle perished.

According to initial survey, 26,600 houses, katcha and pacca, have been damaged completely and partially, therefore 190 relief camps have been set up to settle 37,500 affected people.

The chief minister quoting the PDMA report said that 4,500 ration bags, 4,540 tents, 4,800 mosquito nets, 400 folding beds, 700 kitchen sets, 10 dewatering machines have been provided to the district.

The CM said that another demand of 60,000 tents, 25,000 mosquito nets, 100,000 ration bags, 3,000 kitchen bags, 2,500 tarpaulin sheets 30 dewatering machines, six pumps have been provided. "We are trying our best to purchase tents but they are not available, therefore I have requested prime minister to arrange at least one million tents to cater to the growing need of the province." The chairman PPP said that he has visited various relief camps where he noticed women after losing their homes and cattle were in state of shock and. "We have to take care of them with sympathy and respect," he said and added he would be satisfied when the affected families were sent back to their homes.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2022.