Rain Emergency Cell: Chief minister sets up monitoring unit

Efforts made to overcome any emergency due to heavy rainfall.

KARACHI: On the directives of the Sindh chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah, a ‘Rain Emergency Cell’ has been established at the Chief Minister’s House, which will function round the clock to monitor issues related to rainfall throughout the province.

The cell will function under the supervision of Additional Secretary Coordination and will be in contact with these cells through the provincial relief commissioner, commissioners and deputy commissioners of the districts concerned, according to a notification issued.

A comprehensive daily report will be submitted to the CM, updating him of the rain-related issues and efforts made by the authorities. Private Secretary Nisar Ahmed, Section Officers Ali Gul Sanjrani and Muhammad Khan and a DSP have been assigned duties in the rain emergency cell.

District level committees comprising elected representatives, local party leaders and government officials to monitor the situation were formed during a Sindh cabinet meeting on Tuesday night.

The CM asked the ministers to help the district administration by evacuating the people to safer places and to establish relief camps for people and animals. The nine districts of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas division have been declared sensitive areas and officials posted there had their leave postponed on account of any emergency situation.

People affected by the heavy rainfall have been advised to contact 021-992020251-4, 021-99207349 and 021-99202065 or fax [phone] and 021-99202029 respectively to get urgent help.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2012.