Provincial flood plans: 17,000 policemen to help flood relief

IG reviews arrangements for potential summer floods.

LAHORE:

The police have finalised a plan to cope with possible floods in the province under which up to 17,000 policemen will be deployed in affected districts of the province. Additional police force would be put on alert and could be deployed when and where required.

This was announced by Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police Muhammad Habibur Rehman while presiding over a meeting held at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Monday.

In the meeting it was also decided that at least 249 wireless operators including 38 head constables and 211 constables, equipped with 144 wireless sets, would be deployed at flood warning posts.

The IG was told that 65 special boats of the Police Department would be handed over to local authorities in 13 vulnerable districts so that the maximum number of people could be evacuated in case of an emergency. At least 31 policemen have been deployed at the Flood Warning Control Room in Lahore.

Punjab Constabulary Commandant Ahmed Raza Tahir, Additional IG-PHP Khan Baig, Punjab DIG (Operations) Sohail Khan and AIG (Admin) Sohail Akhtar Sukhera attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed in detail possible flood situations and arrangements to provide relief to the potential flood hit public including identification of affected and threatened areas, setting up of communication networks, armed patrolling to keep a strict check on activities of criminals, proper monitoring of embankment, shifting of affected families and livestock to safer places, restoration of traffic systems, establishment of relief camps and setting up of control rooms.

The police chief also directed police officers to assist the local government authorities in their respective areas in order to ensure preventive measures. The IG directed the police to arrange proper security for the relief camps and also coordinate with the control rooms set up at the Irrigation Department and head-works in order to ensure the most appropriate arrangements for people.

The police chief directed the police to maintain close liaisons with the Irrigation Department, local civil authorities and Rescue 1122.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2012.