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| June 12, 2008 | Thursday | Jamadi-us-Sani 07, 1429 |
KARACHI: Sindh-wide alert amid rains forecast
KARACHI, June 11: Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman has directed the local government department and DCOs to ensure foolproof arrangements to meet any eventuality that may occur during the expected rains in Sindh. In his directives to all the departments concerned, he said that in view of the Met office forecast for dust storm, thunderstorm and rain in the next few days and the above-normal rains in the province, they should extend full cooperation to each other and maintain liaison among themselves as well as with the relevant organizations to cope with emergencies. He said people should be protected from the problems that could be created by the rains.
In this regard, he called for special measures for the maintenance and protection of embankments to ward off flooding threat.
He stressed on special attention to the population of coastal and katcha areas so that any loss of human life and property could be avoided.
The chief secretary asked all the provincial departments to remain alert and fully cooperate with the district administrations keeping in view the changing weather conditions.
He also called for formulating an effective strategy to deal with the issues, like traffic jams, power failures, disruption in water supply and sewerage problems, etc that usually emerged due to the accumulation of rainwater in low-lying areas of Karachi and other parts of the province.
He asked all secretaries and DCOs to take concerted steps to deal with the monsoon-related problems and keep in constant touch with the health department to ensure provision of treatment and other facilities to rain-affected people.
He directed the home, local government and irrigation departments, besides the Board of Revenue, to activate control rooms and submit to him a report in this regard.
The Sindh government, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), held a two-day session here to review all stakeholders’ capability to meet any emergency, like cyclone and heavy rain, with particular reference to Karachi.
After discussions with the city district administration and cantonment boards of Karachi, a session was held at the Sindh Secretariat with the representatives of the Met Department, Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan Railways, Sui Southern Gas Company, Headquarters 5 Corps, Maritime Agency, Coast Guards, Comkar, KESC, Shipyard, Pakistan Rangers and other stakeholders. Brig Kamran Sharif of the NDMA and other officials from Islamabad, along with Senior Member Board of Revenue, (Sindh) S. Anwar Haider also attended the meeting.
The main purpose of the meeting was to sensitise stakeholders on proper preparedness in regard to risk management in a systematic manner to deal with any disaster such as cyclone, heavy rain, earthquake, etc.
It was noted that Karachi, the hub of economic activities, held paramount importance and it was imperative to evolve a clear and proper approach for disaster management to avert a threat from any kind of natural disaster affecting Karachi and its population.
Minister for Revenue & Relief Syed Murad Ali Shah called upon the stakeholders to realise the importance of the issues and develop a proper system to meet the challenges from disasters in order to minimise loss of life and property in such emergencies.
—APP/PPI
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