300,000 evacuated from flood-hit areas: Shahbaz

Flood victims say chief minister’s visits impeding relief activities.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday more than 300,000 people had been evacuated from flood-it areas.

He was speaking to the media during his visit to Narowal, Shakargarh, Bajwaat (Sialkot), Khanewal and Muzaffargarh.

The chief minister said 120,000 food hampers and 250,000 water bottles had been distributed among flood-affected people. He said relief and medical camps had been set up in the calamity-hit areas.

He also visited Noor Kot in Shakargarh tehsil and inspected flood situation around Bhai stream. He told flood victims there that they would be paid the first installment of before Eidul Azha.

Sharif said he had not seen so much flood damage in his entire life. He said the government had started assessing the damage to crops and property.

The chief minister directed the authorities to immediately start repairing the damaged roads.

He also got a briefing on the flood situation. He was informed that 16 people had died due to floods and rains in Narowal and that compensation cheques had been handed to heirs of 15 people.

Twenty-nine thousand animals had been vaccinated and more than 10,000 kilogrammes fodder had been provided for the livestock, he was told.

The chief minister said more boats should be arranged to ferry flood victims to safer areas. He ordered that tandoors be set up in the affected villages to provide baked roti to the victims.

Sharif said while members of several political parties were busy helping flood victims, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was holding celebrations in Islamabad.

“This is adding insult to the injury of the distressed people.” He said those staging sit-ins in the capital should call off their protest and work for the relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit people.

The chief minster also reviewed the post-flood situation in the areas affected by water from River Tavi. He visited a tent village set up for flood victims at Head Muhammadwala in Muzaffargarh.

Protest demonstrations

Scores of flood victims staged demonstrations in Khanewal, Kabirwala, Muzaffargarh, Shujabad to highlight inconvenience caused by the chief minister’s visit to the areas.

They said instead of providing relief to them the district administrations had been busy escorting the chief minister.

Shakeel Ahmed, a resident of Kabirwala, said his land had been flooded.

“We are dying from hunger. Instead of helping us, the district administration has made us wait for the chief minister,” Ahmed told The Express Tribune.

Aslam, 70, said the district administration had not come to his help 72 hours after the calamity struck Muzaffargarh. He said the officials were busy looking after Sharif.

“I have lost my house and cattle in the flood... they did not bother to visit the area,” he said.

“I request the chief minister to let the district government do their job.” Ayesha Bibi, one of the protesters, accused politicians of cashing in on the floods. “They have been using the calamity for political gains,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2014.