VEHARI: Breach victims await relief package for over a month
By Our Correspondent
VEHARI, Aug 16: Scores of families affected by the Mailsi link canal breach, which occurred in the last week of June, have yet to be provided with any relief.
At least 2,000 people suffered loss of property when breach occurred at the canal and inundated chaks 109/WB, 161/WB, 159/WB and Shatabgarh. Crops spreading over hundreds of acres were also damaged.
Talking to Dawn, a group of villagers representing the affected families claimed that politicians and government officials, including District Nazim Mumtaz Khan Khichi, visited the affected area but did not announce any financial aid.
They said they had lost their houses and crops during the breach, but the local administration was playing the role of silent spectator. When contacted, Vehari DCO Muhammad Ayub Qazi said the inquiry into the incident had been completed and the case of compensatory amount of over Rs7 million sent to the Board of Revenue office in Lahore for further implementation.
He pledged that the district government would compensate the affected families during the next 15 days. However, a local government spokesman said the process would take about two to three months.
Meanwhile, the irrigation department has yet to take action against the officials found guilty of negligence. The affected families have appealed to the government to find out the actual cause of breach and initiate strict action against the negligent officials.
