Monsoon mayhem: Shahbaz inspects drainage arrangements after rain

Chief minister praises WASA officials and announces cash prizes.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday inspected contingency measures taken in Lahore after it had been lashed by monsoon rains.

He toured various areas in the city on a bus. The chief minister inspected arrangements in Model Town, Kalma Flyover, Qurtaba Chowk, Jain Mandir, General Post Office Chowk, The Mall, Lakshmi Chowk, Haji Camp, Badami Bagh, Misri Shah, Gulberg, Gulshan-i-Ravi and Ferozepur Road, Chauburji and Multan Road.

Sharif directed officials to drain rainwater from inundated areas immediately. He instructed officials to start repairing roads damaged by rain. The chief minister greeted Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) officials at Lakshmi Chowk. He praised their efforts and announced cash prizes for them. Sharif directed them to use all resources at their disposal to drain rainwater.  They chanted slogans in praise of the chief minister and assured him that they would discharge their duties competently.  Sharif instructed the district coordination officer (DCO) and the commissioner to remove fallen trees from thoroughfares. He directed them to present a report to him as soon as the trees had been removed.

The chief minister noticed rainwater accumulation at the Haji Camp and directed officials to drain it immediately. Scores of citizens noticed the chief minister and chanted slogans praising him. Sharif visited the Timber Market and interacted with the public. They informed him about the challenges confronting them.  The chief minister directed officials to ensure that rainwater was drained from inundated parks across the Punjab. He said they should use all resources at their disposal to alleviate the challenges confronting the public.

Sharif instructed Adviser to the Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique to ensure that rainwater was drained from parks immediately to check the spread of dengue mosquitoes.  The chief minister also inspected a thoroughfare in Gulshan-i-Ravi that was damaged after a drain breached its banks. Citizens gathered at the spot to witness the arrival of the chief minister and showered praise on him for striving to alleviate the problems of the public. He directed authorities to repair the damaged road urgently. Sharif visited Gulberg and inspected the damage caused to houses by the accumulation of rainwater in a plaza. He directed officials to register an FIR against the owner of the building. Some Gulberg resident came around and praised his resolve.

They told the chief minister that they could not access their houses after rainwater had inundated the plaza. They said that it had done irreparable damage to their houses. Sharif assured them that he would look into their problems.

Several ministers and officials had accompanied the chief minister on the city tour from 5am to 8am.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2014.