Feeling helpless: Revenue minister ‘powerless’ in face of corrupt mafia

Meeting discussed measures being taken by govt in the face of flood-like situation in Sindh

KARACHI:  

Sindh revenue minister Makhdoom Jameeluz Zaman is helpless. He has no power to take action against the corrupt mafia in his department, he admits.

The minister was addressing a press conference after presiding over a meeting with the deputy commissioners of the province to review the flood situation and measures taken by the government.



The minister acknowledged that his department was infamous for massive corruption, the scale of which could be gauged from the large number of cases pending in each court against the officials. “Despite limited efforts, I am trying my best to get rid of this menace,” he said.

Read: Calamity: Govt responsible for floods: Qadri

Speaking about the relief and rescue operations initiated by the government to deal with the flood-like situation, the minister said that he had suggested chief minister to merge the provincial disaster management authority into the relief department. He reasoned that though the two were separate entities, they were doing the same job.

The revenue minister said that during the meeting, they had directed all the participants to develop a mechanism to face the floods and monitor all vulnerable points every day.  “Around 250 tents have been dispatched to each district along with Rs2 million,” said Makhdoom, adding that the government has released Rs5 million to each divisional commissioner for relief and rescue operations. “The officials of each district have been directed to purchase rations and other necessary items without delay,” he said.

Read: No risk of floods, says Khuhro



During the meeting, the deputy commissioners of Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot and Naushero Feroze briefed the officials about the measures being taken by the government.

The Sukkur DC said that work on the embankments of River Indus was satisfactory. “We have installed suction pumps along with generators at low-lying areas to drain out stagnant water as soon as possible,” he said, lamenting however that that the residents living along the riverbed were not willing to leave their houses.  “The total population of the katcha area in my district is 78,884, for which six relief camps and six medical camps have been established,” he said, adding that 1,500 tents, 4,000 mosquito nets and 1,500 medicine cartons were available to be used during emergency.  “Additionally, I have submitted requests for 2,000 tents, 10,000 ration bags and 60 boats,” he said.

The assistant deputy commissioner of Ghotki added that there were around 1.5 million people living in the katcha area of the district where 10 relief camps had been set.  “We have setup four medical camps and six livestock camps too,” he said.  Naushero Feroze assistant commissioner said that around 203,220 people living in the riverine areas were being re-located to safer places.  He said that 15 medical camps and three mobile dispensaries were established in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2015.