Flood situation: ‘No protection from flood at Sheeraza Pattan’

FAISALABAD:

Scores of villagers on Friday staged a protest demonstration against the district administration, saying it had failed to secure Sheeraza Pattan area near River Ravi from the flood.

The protesters gathered at Sheeraza Pattan and blocked the intersection for traffic by burning old tyres and erecting blockades. Talking to newsmen, Rehmat Ali, one of the protesters, said the district administration had issued a flood warning but had not taken any steps to protect people. “Every year, there is a flood in River Ravi but the district administration is not prepared to prevent the damage.” he said.  He said various departments of the district administration had been contacted to make protective arrangements at Sheeraza Pattan but no one had taken their requests seriously. “Water levels in River Ravi are rising and flood water may damage our houses, livestock and crops,” he said. The protestors chanted slogans against the district administration and demanded that immediate steps be taken for flood protection.Later, Sahiwal DPO Talha Burkhari met the protesters and assured them that the matter would be reported to senior officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2015.