Punjab bearing flood rehabilitation cost: CM

Hails role of PDMA, Rescue 1122, district administrations

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has asserted that the provincial government has taken timely steps for the rehabilitation of the flood victims from its own resources.

 Along with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Rescue 1122, the district administrations have also worked hard to help the affected people, he said in a statement.

 He said the families of those who had died due to floods and rains had been given financial assistance of Rs1 million each.

 Dry ration has been provided to more than 168,000 victims, while more than 5,000 blankets and 44,000 tents have been distributed, he said.

 More than 1,400 rescue boats participated in relief activities to transport flood victims to safe places and 34,000 bags of flour were also distributed, he mentioned.

 Similarly, more than 23,000 mosquito nets and 21,000 life jackets have also been provided to the survivors.

 Alongside this, thousands of animals have been vaccinated, the chief minister said.

 He said the compensation for damage caused to houses and livestock by the flood had been increased.

 "The Punjab government has not been given a penny for the rehabilitation of the flood victims by the federal government," he regretted and said his government was performing the duty of rehabilitating the flood victims with its own resources.

 It also sent a medical relief mission to help the flood victims of Sindh and Balochistan, while two mobile health units were sent to the flood-affected areas of Sindh, the CM said.

 The Punjab government was helping the affected people while rising above politics, he asserted.

 The chief minister accused the federal government of doing politics over the flood victims, terming it unfortunate.

 "The rehabilitation activities will continue until the resettlement of the flood victims," he concluded.