Monsoon preparations: Shahbaz wants foolproof flood prevention measures

Cabinet committee on flood directed to inspect river dykes.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday directed relevant government departments to take flood prevention measures ahead of monsoon.

He was addressing a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat through video link.

“All provincial and federal departments should perform their duties in coordination with one another. This year, the arrangements should be better than last year,” he said.

The chief minister said that the cabinet committee for floods should maintain a close contact with the Metrological Department and information should be acquired about the weather situation on a daily basis.

He directed the district administrations to immediately remove encroachments on public spaces near rivers.

The chief minister directed the departments to evolve emergency plans. “The members of the cabinet committee on floods should visit vulnerable sites to inspect repairs,” he said. The CM said that the committee members should present an inspection report to him.

The chief minister said that he would personally monitor arrangements made to deal with monsoon rains and floods.

He said that two warehouses had been set up in Lahore and Muzaffargarh for stockpiling essential items to deal with any emergency situation. “Sufficient stocks of food and other necessities should be available in the warehouses,” he said.

The CM directed the government officials to benefit from the metrological reporting systems of the SUPARCO and the Pakistan Air Force.

He directed the district administrations to complete the training of boat operators at the earliest.

He said that a foolproof mechanism should be evolved for the transportation of boats in case of a dyke breach or flood.

He said that the Health Department should stockpile medicines, especially anti-snake venom.

He said that immediate steps should be taken to activate the Civil Defence Department. He said that inspection of embankments and river spurs should be completed ahead of the monsoon season. “Modern methods should be adopted to strengthen the embankments and spurs. The cabinet committee should take action without any discrimination against those causing illegal breaches,” he said.

He directed the officials to take special steps to save the people of Sialkot and Kamoke from floods caused by torrents. “Immediate steps should be taken to prevent damage caused by these streams in Gujranwala division,” he said. He said that an action plan should be evolved to save the lives and properties of people from floods caused by these streams.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2015.