Calamity warning system planned

CM says coronavirus preventive measures being taken

LAHROE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has announced a plan to install early warning systems for calamities at three locations in the province He told National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, who called on him on Saturday, about the forewarning systems to alert the authorities regarding floods, diseases and other calamities.

The Punjab Ehsas Programme’s head Dr Sania Nishtar gave a briefing on video link about the rehabilitation and aid programme for the flood-affected people. The CM said the Punjab government was taking preventive measures in view of apprehensions regarding the seventh coronavirus wave.

He outlined that screening of passengers arriving from abroad would be carried out. He maintained that the installation of early warning systems would enable the departments concerned to take timely measures to save the people, livestock, fields and property from destruction and damage caused by flood.

The CM said the rehabilitation of the people affected by the recent flood was ongoing expeditiously in Punjab. He highlighted that the Punjab government had disbursed aid among the affected people from its own resources and donations collected through a telethon. He said more than Rs5 billion was being distributed among the affected people and payments had been made to 36,000 families. Financial assistance has also been provided to the affected families to rebuild their homes.

He underscored that the Punjab government had ensured resettlement of the affected people and construction of over 55,000 destroyed and damaged houses was under way. The chief minister said he had visited Rajanpur first after the flood an overseen the relief activities. He highlighted that the Punjab government had allocated Rs1 billion to help the affected people of Sindh. Chief Minister Perzaiz Elahi also said that special arrangements were being made for facilitating tourists in Murree and at other tourist spots during rain and snowfall.

The NDMA chairman remarked that the rescue and relief plan of the Punjab government during the flood was laudable and the Rescue 1122 institution had performed highly appreciable and exemplary services. He said a forecast up to 40 before natural calamities was possible with the help of the latest technology. Lieutenant General Haider warned that climate change was becoming a permanent feature and “we will have to prepare ourselves to effectively cope with its hazardous effects”.

River erosion Meanwhile, the Punjab Ministerial Disaster Management Committee (MDMC) reviewed plans to stop river erosion in various areas of the province. Provincial Environment Protection Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja presided over the meeting. The director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority gave a briefing on nine schemes for protection against erosion caused by various rivers in seven districts.

The committee directed the irrigation department to conduct a detailed survey and submit a report regarding the schemes to prevent river erosion. It was informed that the nine schemes with an estimated cost of Rs953 million had been proposed for Jhang, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mianwali and other areas. The minister issued directives to avoid obstructing the natural channels of the rivers while constructing dykes. “The PDMA should also estimate how many people will benefit from the government schemes,” he said.