‘Start preparations for flood season’

"CM had directed the relevant departments to begin preparations to cope with possible floods next year," says Zaman.

LAHORE:

Minister for Irrigation Mian Yawar Zaman said on Wednesday that the chief minister had directed the relevant departments to begin preparations to cope with possible floods next year.

He said suggestions regarding construction, repair and rehabilitation of spurs on canals and rivers for protection against flood had been gathered from all zones of the Irrigation Department.

He said a comprehensive strategy had been evolved for protection against floods in during the monsoon season.

He said experts would present their recommendations for better flood management so the strategy could be made more effective.

He was presiding over a second meeting of the 31-member committee set up by the chief minister at Darbar Hall of Civil Secretariat.

MNA Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, MPAs Qazi Adnan Farid, Hashim Jawan Bakht, PDMA director general, Irrigation Secretary Saif Anjam, Chief Meteorologist Riaz, Additional Secretary Ashraf and representatives of WAPDA, NESPAK, the Finance Department and the Board of Revenue were also present.

The Irrigation secretary informed participants that engineers had been instructed to enhance the capacity of the canals and water channels.

He said services of experts had been acquired for legislation with regards to floods so that water channels could be saved from illegal encroachments. Zaman said the government had learnt a lot from the 2014 flood experience and was taking steps in advance to avert the calamity.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2014.