MANSEHRA, July 6: The district administration of Mansehra has declared 18 villages and towns along the Kunhar and Siren rivers as highly dangerous in view of floods in the monsoon season.

Chairing the pre-monsoon planning meeting here on Wednesday, District Coordination Officer Umber Ali Khan said that Rs10 million had been transferred to the emergency account to cope with any flood situation and promptly launch relief activities. He said that it would be beneficial that relief and other necessary goods were stored in the areas declared as highly prone to floods.

He said that because of heavy operational cost last year the government was yet to decide about hiring helicopters, but officials and departments responsible for the provision of relief and other goods should immediately transport relief goods, tents and medicines to areas declared sensitive for the monsoon.

Mr Khan asked the TMOs of Mansehra, Balakot and Oghi to open the clogged sewerage lines before start of the rains to ensure smooth drainage. He ordered his staff for the provision of 100 tents to the officials of the Balakot TMA.

The meeting was attended by representatives of health, communication and works, irriga- tion and forest departments besides officials of tehsil municipal administrations of Mansehra, Oghi and Balakot and the National Highway Authority. KOHAT:

Commissioner Kohat division Sahibzada Mohammad Anees has said that flood emergency centers of Frontier Regions of Kohat and Kurram Agency have been linked with the main centre at his office to ensure timely response to any eventuality in the wake of floods during the monsoon season.

Chairing a meeting of officials from Hangu and Karak districts on Wednesday, the commissioner asked them to remove all encroachments constructed in the way of streams, which played havoc during the last year's floods. Mr Anees stressed that no leniency would be tolerated while removing the illegal structures.

The meeting also decided to establish a flood monitoring committee in Kohat for making coordinated rescue operations in case of flood emergency.

The officials, who briefed the commissioner on the preparedness to control floods, included district coordination officers Shahidullah Khan of Kohat, Javed Ahmed of Karak and Adil Siddique of Hangu, and executive officer irrigation, Kohat, Zahidullah Khan and SDO of Tanda Dam Suleman Daud.

Besides, the district revenue officer of Kohat, Nazar Gul and of Karak Arshad Naveed informed the meeting of the steps taken following the last year's floods for helping the population in case of emergency.