Cabinet Committee on Flood Relief reviews the relief activities

Lahore: Chairman Cabinet Committee on Flood Relief and Provincial Minister Col. (Retd.) Shuja Khanzada has said that government is utilizing all out resources for the relief and rehabilitation of the affectees of the worst flood in the history of the province after 1972 and funds of two billion rupees have been released for relief operation. He said that a committee has been constituted for the rehabilitation of flood affected people and assessment of their losses and survey will be started within a few days. He said that one lakh forty thousand flood affectees have been evacuated and shifted to safer places.

He was talking to media-men regarding flood situation and rescue and relief activities of Punjab government at Committee Room of Civil Secretariat today. Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, Minister for Population Welfare Begum Zakia Shahnawaz and Spokesman Punjab government Zaeem Hussain Qadri were also present on the occasion. Col. Retd. Shuja Khanzada said that 21 districts of the province have been declared calamity- hit and 16 helicopters and hundreds of boats are taking part in relief and rescue operation started from Sialkot.

He said that 5.5 lakh cusecs water is passing from Trimmu on River Chenab and a breach has been caused in the embankment for the disposal of 1.20 lakh cusec water. He said that five to six lakh cusec more floodwater is expected. He said that evacuation of population from Athara Hazari has been completed. He said that there is capacity of passage of 1.50 lakh cusec water from Muhammad Wala Barrage in Multan and 3.5 lakh cusecs water is passing from the spot at present while two lakh cusecs water is passing from Shershah Barrage. He said that the government is focusing on Jhang and Multan and a big breach has been made at Wajhana village.

Col. Retd. Shuja Khanzada further said that rescue teams will be shifted to those areas which are under flood or are likely to be hit by flood from the areas where rescue operation has been completed. He further said that Chief Minister Punjab is also visiting flood affected areas for 12 hours while on his instructions 13 water purification units have been sent to calamity-hit areas. He said that assessment committees will start their work within two to three days for rehabilitation of flood-hit people.

Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin told that Punjab government has released funds of two billion rupees while ten thousand blankets, five thousand quilts, 2.5 lakh food hampers, one lakh mineral water bottles, five lakh aqua pura tablets as well as mosquito repellant quilts have been sent to flood hit areas. He said that 24 thousand flood hit people have been provided medical assistance, ten trucks carrying medical kits have reached calamity-hit areas while 20 more trucks are being sent. He said that out of 31 roads damaged by flood, 21 have been repaired and restored. He said that 2361 houses have been totally destroyed while 5966 houses have been partially damaged.

A total of 10 lakh, 5861 acre area and 18 lakh people have been affected by flood while one lakh 40 thousand persons have been rescued. He said around 15 lakh cattle have been evacuated and vaccinated. He said that 700 health camps have been set up for the livestock. He said that more than five hundred camps have been set up for rehabilitation. He said that due to timely flood warning, losses to human lives have been minimized