comprehensive plan evolved for flood:Senator Zulfiqar Khosa

Lahore:A comprehensive plan has been evolved for coping with any possible situation arising due to flood during monsoon and flood warning centre will start working from June 15 in this regard. All divisional and district administrations have been directed to immediately shift residents of those abadies causing hindrances in the flow of river water. Helpline 1129 has been set up and the affectees can immediately contact on it.

 This was disclosed at a meeting presided over by Senior Advisor, Senator Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, held to review the arrangements regarding the controlling of flood here today. Provincial Minister for Prisons, Malik Iqbal Chanar, Special Assistant to CM Mansha Ullah Butt, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretaries of Communication and Works, Irrigation, Agriculture, Information, Energy, Housing, Development & Public Health Engineering, Livestock & Dairy Development and Planning & Development Departments, Additional IG Police Punjab, all Divisional Commissioners and DCOs attended the meeting.

 Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa directed officers of all concerned departments to keep close liaison with each other for protecting life and property of the people and shifting them to safer places. He warned them that no negligence will be tolerated in this regard. Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa directed Education Department and Divisional and District Administrations to immediately identify the places for setting up relief camps. He directed the officers of Irrigation Department to immediately complete the work of fortification of spurs on all rivers and canals before start of monsoon season. The meeting was told that Finance Department has also allocated rupees 50 million to PDMA, during the next financial year for disaster preparedness as many as 850 boats of the provincial government are available within the army authorities for flood relief operation, while 86 new boats and OBMS have been distributed by PDMA to flood vulnerable districts of the province.

   The meeting was told that a warehouse has been constructed in Harbanspura Lahore for storing edible items for flood affectees. Similarly, tents worth rupees fifty million have been purchased whereas 1300 tents have been stored in warehouse. The meeting was told that the Home Department has provided wireless system, walki talki and base radio station for improving communication system in the prone districts. Secretaries of various departments gave briefings with regard to steps taken by their concerned departments for protecting from possible flood.