KARACHI: Secretaries’ committee to execute relief work: Rains and floods
KARACHI, Aug 2: Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Qazi presided over a meeting here on Saturday to review the situation arising out of floods and rains in the province. The meeting also discussed relief measures being taken by the Sindh government.
The meeting constituted a high-level coordination committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Development), Ghulam Sarwar Khero, with senior member of BOR Manzoor Hussain Bhutto, Home Secretary Syed Anwar Haider, Local Government Secretary Mirza Karim Baig, Irrigation Secretary Imtiaz Qazi, Finance Secretary Malik Israr Hussain, Health Secretary Ashique Hussain Memon, Food Secretary Ameer Ali Barq, Chairman of the Anti-corruption Establishment (ACE) Brig (r) Mukhtar Ahmed and police representatives as its members.
The committee members would maintain mutual contacts and coordinate on daily basis to deal with the situation, arising out of the rains and the aftermath, effectively. The chief secretary would also attend meetings of the committee as and when needed.
The ACE chairman has been assigned the responsibility of monitoring and ensuring the fair and prompt distribution of relief goods among the people affected by rains and floods.
The food secretary will be keeping a vigilant eye on the procurement and distribution of relief goods being provided at federal and provincial governments level. He will take immediate legal action in case of any irregularities.
Addressing the meeting, the chief secretary stressed on promotion of communication and interaction on relief activities at government level and said that data-based communication should be ensured with the assistance of the Information Technology department. All relevant departments and institutions be sent daily report on relevant issues for prompt and timely implementation of measures, he added.
He told the meeting that the WHO, USAID and other international organizations had expressed their willingness to provide medicines and other relief goods for the affected people. As such, he added, it was necessary to convey all necessary information to the agencies.
The meeting exchanged views on the dilapidated conditions of roads in the affected districts of the province and it was unanimously agreed that reconstruction and repair of roads be undertaken immediately. Irrigation secretary called for the release of funds in this regard.
The meeting also discussed formulation of a strategy regarding use of boats in flood-hit areas and decided that assistance from federal government and Army Engineering Core be sought in this regard.
The other matters which came up for discussion at the meeting included water supply, sanitation and power supply in the affected areas.
City Nazim Naimatullah Khan briefed the meeting about the emergency measures taken during and after the rains to ensure proper sanitation work and draining out rainwater from the affected areas of the city. He also apprised the participants of the strategy adopted in light of the forecasts by the Meteorological Department. He said that the forecasts were practically followed by all the town Nazims.
The Nazim informed the meeting that some 4,500 families were shifted to safer places from the affected areas of Lyari Town prior to the rains in order to avert any big tragedy.
Local government secretary told the meeting that all concerned officers had been directed to make preparations for any emergency situations keeping in view the Met office forecasts.
The meeting decided to maintain proper communication with the National Highway Authority.
Representatives of Wapda, Hesco, Wasa and Meteorological Department were among others who attended the meeting.
—PPI
