Tori Bund breach to be investigated

Departmental inquiry initiated, action to be taken against people foudn responsible.

KARACHI: The government has decided to initiate a judicial inquiry into the Tori Bund breach, provincial irrigation minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo told the media following the Sindh Assembly session on Friday.

“We have initiated a departmental inquiry and action will be taken against the people found responsible,” he said.

The minister added that water from Manchhar Lake has started discharging into the River Indus and its water level is going down by the day. The breaches that occurred near the SM Protective and Tori bunds have been plugged and the irrigation department is trying its best to plug the Ghauspur Loop Bund.

When asked about the shortage of water in areas, where paddy and other crops have dried out, the minister replied that due to floods, they had closed the canals to avoid further worsening of the situation. “We have now opened all the canals and situation has become normal.”

He further said that it will take more than a month for the flood survivors living in camps to return to their areas.

Opposition leader Jam Madad called for allotment of residential plots to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Karachi, while he was talking to the media before the start of the session. He added that the government should also provide funds for the construction of houses besides ensuring that the survivors do not sell the allocated plots.

He insisted that flood survivors have a right to live in Karachi and the government should resist all pressure on this issue. The opposition will also move a resolution for Dr Aafia Siddiqui and her family, he added.

The Sindh Assembly session started at 11:35 am after a two-hour delay, under the chair of deputy speaker Shahla Raza.The members paid tribute to the deceased MPA, Raza Haider, who was also the convenor of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Rabita Committee.

They also offered fateha for Dr Imran Farooq, one of the founding members of the MQM, who was killed in London around a week ago, and Federal Local Government Minister Justice (retd) Abdul Razzaq Thaheem, who also died this month. The members also offered prayers for the victims of the Airblue crash, the Youm-e-Ali (RA) procession blast and target killings in Karachi.

Provincial law minister Ayaz Soomro moved a motion to adjourn the house till Monday, explaining that it is a tradition of the house that the first session, following the death of a member, is adjourned. Members of the Awami National Party boycotted the session to protest the postponing of the PS-94 by-elections. Meanwhile, members of the MQM wore black armbands as they were in mourning for Dr Farooq’s death.

The agenda for Friday included the presentation of those bills that Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad had approved. Some of these bills were Sindh Wholesale Agriculture Produce Market (Development and Regulation) Bills 2010, Industrial Relations (Revival and Amendment) Bill 2010 and Sindh Land Acquisition (Sindh Amended) Bill 2009.

Survivors protest outside Sindh Assembly

Flood survivors held a protest outside the Sindh Assembly over insufficient aid. The protesters complained that ineffective measures by the government have led to poor distribution of relief goods among the displaced people. The opposition’s Jam Madad ensured the protesters that he will raise their issues in the house.

Additional Input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2010.