Sharif orders repair of damaged flood dykes

Announces wavier on students’ dues in public schools, colleges, universities.

MULTAN:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the officials concerned to build a super dyke from Seetpur to Panjnad headworks.

He was visiting the flood-affected areas in the district. His visit was long awaited, especially after four announcements in the last two weeks in this regard. More than 40,000 people have been displaced due to floods in these areas.

The chief minister visited Seetpur and Uch Sharif, areas devastated due to breaches in two major dykes. The chief minister took boat rides to some villages still submerged in several feet water.

Addressing the people and the accompanying officials, the chief minister announced free seeds, fertilisers and financial relief for small farmers in the affected areas. He also announced a wavier of students’ dues in public schools, colleges and universities.

He also ordered for renovation of dykes and embankments in Uch Sharif and Alipur along River Chenab and River Indus.

He said that the government would help construct the houses damaged by floods. He sought weekly reports on flood victims and their rehabilitation from the officials concerned.

He said MNA Aashiq Khan Gopang would monitor the rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims in Seetpur and Uch Sharif.

The chief minister also announced that first payment would be made to the flood affected after an initial assessment of losses. He said all payments would be cleared by October.

The Punjab government is paying Rs500,000 each to the families of people who have died in the floods.

He also visited the flood relief medical camp and the livestock relief camp.

Later, Sharif visited the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy Park in Dingarh, Cholistan. He monitored the development of project and ordered the district administration to provide complete coordination for the project.

Calling it a step towards eliminating loadshedding from Pakistan, the chief minister said the energy park would produce 1,000MW of electricity.

He said that a horticulture village will also be set up at the park.

He said local Cholistanis would be employed in the solar power project to reduce unemployment in the area.

Bahawalpur Commissioner Asadullah Khan and Irrigation Secretary Zahid Saeed gave separate briefings to the CM regarding the flood rehabilitation situation and construction of protective embankments.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2013.