MNA Faryal Talpur urged the Sindh government and its departments on Tuesday to use all resources available in providing relief to the flood-affected people.
She was chairing a meeting of the Sindh ministers and district officers at the Presidential Camp Office, Naudero. Among those who attended the meeting were ministers Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Agha Siraj Durrani, Ayaz Soomro, MNA Shagufta Jumani, Senators Dr Karim Khawaja and Saeed Ghani, Irrigation Secretary Babar Afandi and Larkana Commissioner Dr Saeed Mangnejo.
According to Dharejo, the monsoon rains this year were more destructive than any other during the last 100 years.
Due to the shortage of drainage systems, Jacobabad and Kashmore were the worst-hit areas, he said, adding that the accumulated rain water is damaging properties in the area.
The irrigation minister said that the downhill torrents coming from Balochistan entered the Hairdin drain near Chakhi, situated at the Sindh-Balochistan border. The drain, which can carry 1,700 cusecs of water, overflowed as the water coming from Balochistan exceeded its capacity. Dharejo said that work to increase the capacity of the Hairdin drain to 7,000 cusecs is underway.
He refuted the statements by Haleem Adil Shaikh, the advisor to Sindh chief minister on relief, regarding threats of floods in Shahdadkot.
Sindh Irrigation Secretary Babar Afandi informed the meeting that the downhill torrents from Balochistan breached the Right Bank Outfall Drain-III at RD-116 on September 20, due to which water entered the Hairdin drain. The water then started moving towards Garhi Khairo, Qubo Saeed Khan and Shahdadkot. He said, however, that the situation is under control and all the damages will be plugged by tonight (Tuesday).
Larkana Comminssioner Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo briefed the meeting about the casualties up till now. He said that around 123 persons were killed and 2,207 were injured in rain-related incidents in five districts - Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore and Qamber-Shahdadkot. Almost 8,243 villages were submerged while more than 2.30 million people were affected. Standing crops over 3.50 million acres were reportedly damaged.
With regard to the relief operation, Mangnejo said that 26,132 people were rescued and 160,295 families were being provided food and medicines at 500 relief camps. “So far, we have distributed 55,250 bags of dry ration,” he said. Around 41 medical camps have been established in the rain-affected areas and 35 mobile dispensaries are also in the field.
Talpur asked Senator Karim Khawaja and District Health Officer Dr Abdul Fatah Bughio to supervise the medical aid being provided to the people in all five districts. MNA Shagufta Jumani was asked to supervise distribution of food and tents.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2012.
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