Disaster management: Satellite images be used to assess flood damage, says CM

Shahbaz says relief activities should continue in flood-hit areas

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered relief activities to continue in flood-hit areas.

Sharif gave the directions during a video conference with members of the Cabinet Committee on Floods present in various districts, DHQs and at the Civil Secretariat. He said all facilities should be provided to those housed in relief camps. The chief minister said satellite images of damage to crops and houses should be used to assess the losses.

He said the survey of losses underway should be complete and comprehensive in all respects. Sharif said this was necessary to ensure that no one was deprived of their rights. The chief minister said all precautionary measures should be taken in the wake of the increase in the water level in River Sutlej. Sharif ordered the evacuation of people dwelling in villages in Kasur in the vicinity of the river.

The chief minister said a survey of losses in flood-affected areas had commenced. He said the survey should be conducted along the lines of the one undertaken last year. Sharif said satellite images of areas before and after floods would validate the transparency of the survey.

He said no stone would be left unturned with regard to rehabilitating the flood affected. Sharif said compensation would be provided to those affected in line with losses incurred. The chief minister said the flow of water in rivers should be continuously monitored. He said members of the Cabinet Committee on Floods should regularly inspect relief activities and precautionary measures.

Development projects

Sharif said on Saturday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had pioneered the culture of quick and transparent completion of development projects province-wide over the last seven years.

Sharif was speaking to various lawmakers. The chief minister said the government had saved billions of rupees by effectively negotiating with the lowest bidders in connection with the development projects.

The chief minister said billions of rupees were saved in projects in the solid waste management sector, the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur, the laptop distribution scheme and the distribution of thousands of vehicles under the Chief Minister’s Apna Rozgar Scheme. Sharif said the monies saved on this account were being spent on the welfare of the public. The lawmakers felicitated the chief minister for saving billions of rupees. They said this had only been made possible due to his vision. The lawmakers said Sharif had been serving the people around-the-clock and had been employing national resources for welfare of the people.

I-Day arrangements praised

Sharif appreciated the work of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, the law enforcement agencies and other relevant departments for making foolproof security arrangements on Independence Day.

The chief minister said all steps had been taken to secure citizens’ lives and properties on the occasion.

JI leaders call on CM

Sharif said the government was determined to overcome terrorism, religious extremism and the energy shortfall.

The chief minister was speaking to Farooq Paracha and Liaquat Baloch of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). He said the government’s efforts on this account had been baring fruit. The chief minister said unity, solidarity and consensus were the need of the hour.

He said the civil and military leadership were on the same page in connection with the war against terrorism.

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