Chairman Provincial Cabinet Committee on Flood & Provincial Minister for Zakat & Usher Malik Nadeem Kamran has said that all out arrangements have been finalized to cope with possible flood situation in the wake of monsoon and forecast of more rains in Punjab. Duties have been assigned to Livestock, Irrigation, Housing, Agriculture, Health, Civil Defense, Army and Police in this regard, he added. He said that Commissioners and DCOs of the districts facing flood should review the arrangements for protection against flood and ensure protection of life and property of the people. He said that SoPs should be implemented for ensuring rescue and relief of flood affectees in the districts. Machinery and relief goods should be stored in the warehouses of PDMA at provincial and district level, he added.
He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting to review precautionary arrangements against flood at Civil Secretariat, today. Chief Secretary Punjab Capt. (R) Zahid Saeed directed officers of Irrigation Department to complete the work of strengthening of spurs of all rivers and nullahs at the earliest. He said that those places should be identified in the light of experience of 2010 and 2014, which can be affected due to flood in rivers and hill torrents. DCOs of different districts gave details about preparations to cope with any flood situation in their respective districts. Chief Secretary directed to make proper arrangements for protection in case of flood in rainy nullahs including Aik, Dek, Basantar, Bhain and Palkhu.
Provincial Minister Agriculture Farrukh Javed, Secretary Irrigation, DG PDMA Khalid Sher Dil besides representatives of Housing, Livestock, Agriculture, Police, Civil Defense and Rescue 1122 attended the meeting. DCOs of various districts informed about the preparations made for coping with flood. DG PDMA Khalid Sher Dil told that the plan for meeting flood situation has been finalized and PDMA offices have been issued instructions to keep all necessary items and machinery for rescue and relief work ready. Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Hanif informed that 10 to 20 percent more rains are expected this year. He also informed about weather forecast for next 15 days.