KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah held a video-conference meeting with administrators and the DCOs of Sukkur, Shikarpur, Ghotki and Kashmore at CM House on Tuesday on the upcoming floods.
He inquired about the flow of water in the barrages and directed them to immediately shift people from squatter settlements to safer places.
DCO Sukkur Inamullah Khan Dharejo said the upstream discharge at Sukkur Barrage has been recorded at 215,000 cusecs. DCO Kashmore Syed Abid Ali Shah informed the chief minister that the upstream flow is 354,000 cusecs, which is a medium flood situation. He explained that 26 relief camps have been established while 10,000 people have been moved to safer places; 4,000 people were evacuated in launches and boats and 6,000 people voluntarily left their homes. Local landholders and elected representatives are fully cooperating, he added.
Meanwhile, DCO Ghotki said about 7,000 people voluntarily moved from squatter settlements and with the government’s arrangements, 1,300 more people have been shifted. DCO Sukkur said that about 22,000 people are living in the katcha area, out of which 70 per cent has been forcibly evacuated. DCO Shikarpur Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo said that people are not ready to leave the katcha areas but the administration has constituted 16 teams, comprising the police and revenue staff, who are working night and day to ensure their safety.
The chief minister told the DCOs to ensure the vigilant patrolling of the flood protective embankments so that there is no incidents. The irrigation and power department staff, armed forces and Rangers personnel are patrolling the embankments, the Kashmore DCO replied. DCO Ghotki Abdul Aziz Uqaili informed the chief minister that he patrolled the embankments for six hours on Monday along with other MPAs and MNAs.
Uqaili informed the chief minister that medical and veterinary treatment is being provided at all 17 relief camps, out of which 13 have been set up at the protective embankments. The DCO said that besides this 10 government boats and 12 private boats have been arranged. “The Pakistan Navy has also arranged seven launches for which the naval staff has reached Ghotki,” he added.
Uqaili explained that factories have arranged four mobile dispensaries, and food is being served to people in the camps. “Food for 10,000 people is being served and packets of food items are being prepared under the relief package.”
Meanwhile, the DCO Sukkur informed the chief minister that 16 medical camps have been set up and food is being supplied to families in Sukkur City and Pannu Aqil. “Ten thousand ration bags are being prepared as well,” he added.
PDMA’s word of caution
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) director-general Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui hoped that the flood would pass through Sindh without causing much damage but, “we should be prepared for the worst and that there should be no complacency”. Addressing a news conference at the Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday, along with the Pakistan Army and Navy representatives, he said evacuation arrangements and relief and rescue efforts are in place to handle any situation.
About the flood position, Faruqui said that by Wednesday the Guddu barrage flow would be above 500,000 cusecs. According to earlier warnings, the first flood peak would be up to 600,000 cusecs and later in the next two days, the peak is expected to be between 950,000 and 1.1 million cusecs. “Due to the breach near Taunsa in the Punjab on Monday, there may be a drop of 100,000 cusecs but this still has to be confirmed,” he said.
He assured that there is no chance of any substantial increase in the flood water due to the rains.
Faruqui said that the 10 gates of the Sukkur Barrage are closed at the moment but the irrigation department has assured that the gates can be opened immediately when needed.
About the coordination mechanism across the province, he explained that the PDMA is the central agency. “We are also coordinating with the armed forces and their support system is ready.”
A team of Pakistan Navy’s 20 boats moved to Sukkur on Monday to handle any possible evacuation in three districts, he informed, adding that the Sindh government has 155 boats and 50 dewatering sets.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 4th, 2010.
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