We constructed 28 small dams in Punjab, what Shahbaz Sharif has constructed ? Ch Pervaiz Elahi

Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League (PML) senior central leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Ch Parvez Elahi has said that we had got constructed 28 small dams in Punjab in just 5 years, what Shahbaz Sharif has constructed?, If funds meant for protective embankments and spurs repairs and rehabilitation for protection against floods were not dumped in the jangla bus during last 7 years then lakhs of poor people would not have been destroyed by floods every year.

In a statement issued here today responding to Shahbaz Sharif allegation, he said that despite long rule in the centre and the Punjab province the dramatist rulers have not done anything for protection from floods, rather they had scrapped Kalabagh dam like national importance project for getting Punjab Chief Minister ship for third time whereas we had got resolution adopted by the Punjab Assembly in favour of Kalabagh dam, we had initiated Neelum Jhelum and Mangla Dam raising projects but they had blocked even funds for these projects.

Ch Parvez Elahi said that only work of the rulers is enacting dramas, indulging in statement mongering and making announcements merely, if the reservoir projects for storing rivers water started by his government were not ended then such devastation would not have been caused by floods, by constructing small dams we had not only ensured against floods and banks cutting but also developed thousands acre of barren land into cultivable land and every year Rs four billion were spent on repairs, rehabilitation and strengthening of protective embankments and spurs, our govt did important work of expansion and repairs of Taunsa and other barrages due to which huge eleven lakhs cusecs of flood water had passed in 2010 through Taunsa Barrage without causing much devastation, our govt’s project for construction of Jinnah Barrage was also scrapped by them.

He further said that Shahbaz Sharif govt had totally ignored our constructed and repair and maintenance of old protective embankments, they get Punjab drowned every year and then for photo session and topi drama, they take rounds in helicopter wearing boots.

Ch Parvez Elahi pointedly stated that instead of implementation of Justice Mansoor Commission report about devastation caused by floods in 2010, they had given promotion to those who were responsible for such massive devastation then. He said during his tenure survey was conducted every year prospective flood effected areas, funds were released for repairs of protective embankments and new stones were dumped. He questioned how many barrages and embankments Shahbaz Sharif had got repaired during last seven years, floods come year, then rounds are taken on helicopter and dramas enacted, announcements, assurances and promises made and then the same situation arises next year, poor people and the farmers houses and crops destroyed and livestock washed away by flood water and putting up under open sky in helpless manner whereas focus of our every project and programme were the poor, farmers and workers.