Flood management: Villagers prevent dyke breach in Rajanpur

Jampur will be inundated if the dyke is not breached, DCO says

RAJANPUR/ DERA GHAZI KHAN/ BAHAWALPUR:

Twenty people, including four policemen, were injured in a scuffle when villagers of Omar Kot and Kot Mithan attempted to prevent Irrigation Department officials from breaching a dyke on Thursday.

Rajanpur DCO Zahoor Hussain told The Express Tribune that water level had been increasing near Omar Kot and Kot Mithan. “When it reached 600,000 cusecs, it was decided that Jumah Arayin dyke should be breached to save Rajanpur from the flood,” he said.

He said when an Irrigation Department team reached the site, villagers tried to stop then. After negotiations failed, the DCO said villagers attacked policemen and the Irrigation Department team. Four policemen were injured in the scuffle. He said officials postponed the plan to breach the dyke to Friday (today) and left the area. He said at least 16 people were reported injured as the team made its way out of the area.

The DCO said Jampur city would be inundated if the dyke was not breached.

“We hope to divert the water towards plain areas,” he said.

In Dera Ghazi Khan, flood water swept away 300 feet Super Gajani embankment at Shadan Lund, inundating thousands of acres of farm land.

The district government had declared the bund extremely sensitive last week. Bait Alam, Patti Makol, Nardwala, Karam Shah and Chak Raman areas are expected to be affected by the flood.  Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Natiq Hayyat Ghalzai said 15 rescuers with two boats and an ambulance had been sent to the area after the breach was reported.

He said another 70 workers of Rescue 1122 and 16 boats had been deployed at Jhakkar Imam Shah, Bait Baitwala, Haji Ghazi Sharqi, Dew Chowk Taunsa and Basti Habib near Tubwala Taunsa. He said they had moved 892 people to safe places.

Meanwhile, the district administration has banned swimming in the river. Citizens have been told to keep a distance of 200 yards from the bank of River Indus.

Decrease in water levels was reported in Rahim Yar Khan. The DCO said 500,000 cusecs was expected to pass through the area in two days.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.