Bahawalpur on alert as flood warning received

An 800-feet embankment is being repaired at a cost of Rs78.2 million

BAHALWALPUR: District officials said on Wednesday 700,000 to 1 million cusec water was expected to pass through Bahawalpur between Thursday (today) and Monday. Irrigation officials have declared an emergency at Head Islam where 19,822 cusec water is expected against a capacity of 18,000 cusec.

Bahawalpur Irrigation Chief Engineer Khursheed Zaman said India had issued a flood warning and would release water in Sutlej River.

He said leaves of all officials above grade-4 had been cancelled.

He said an 800-feet embankment was being repaired at a cost of Rs78.2 million ahead of the expected flooding.

He said all river embankments were being monitored.

He said in 1988, Hasilpur’s northern bund was broken when 280,000 cusec water had arrived.

He said the administration had issued flood warnings and directed people living near the river to evacuate area.

Bahawalpur district coordination officer Imran Sikandar Baloch told a meeting that Bahawalpur district had been divided into three sectors to cope with the situation; Sutlej, Chenab (I), Chenab (II).

He said eight relief camps had been set up in each sector.

The DCO said nearly 4,000 tents had been provided to the camps. He said each camp had been provided 5,000 litre water tanks for safe drinking water.

He said a medical team, veterinary team and Rescue 1122 staff would be present at each camp. He said snake bite vaccines, medicines for skin diseases and food had been provided. He said livestock vaccination was underway.

He said nearly 13,000 cattle and 1,900 chickens had been vaccinated.

The DCO said seven Pakistan Army helicopters would be available for rescue efforts. As many as 30 rescue boats had also been arranged, he said.

Commissioner visits relief camps

Bahawalpur Commissioner Captain (retired) Javed Akbar Bhatti visited the Chachran Sharif, Simka and Banooda Hat areas and checked relief arrangements for flood victims.

Chachran Sharif Irrigation Superintendent Saeedul Hassan told him that hundreds of people had been evacuated from the area ahead of the flood wave. The commissioner also visited Khawaja Ghulam Fareed Palace and directed Khanpur assistant commissioner to deploy six sanitation workers to ensure water was drained quickly. He said an estimate of costs of repair of the palace should be prepared and sent to him.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2014.