SUKKUR: The special assistant for relief to Sindh chief minister has said that the situation is normal, protective dykes have been strengthened and there is no danger of flood in Sukkur district.

This was stated by Special Assistant Ali Hassan Hingorjo after visiting Begari dyke, Zero Point Sukkur and Ali Wahan dyke.

Speaking to reporters at Zero Point and Ali Wahan dyke on Friday, Mr Hingorjo said after public complaints and media reports regarding seepage at Begari dyke, he had visited the spot where condition was quite satisfactory. There was no seepage even at minor level, he said.

There was no threat of breakage of the dyke and the Sukkur city and the district were not in danger, he added.

Meanwhile, Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Majid Mohsin has directed the officials concerned to strengthen dykes of River Indus in Kotri, Khanpur and other adjacent areas, according to a handout issued on Friday.

In view of any eventuality during rains, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Saleem Jatt has cancelled leaves of his staff to address complaints of consumers.

He said transport facility was being provided to residents of katcha areas of Ghotki district to migrate to safer places. He said 1,980 people had left katcha areas in Ghotki, who were being provided cooked food packets, drinking water and medical facilities.

The special assistant said 116 families from Kandhkot-Kashmore had also reached relief camps set up by the Sindh government.

Four tent cities in Sukkur and three in Ghotki had been established. Motor boats, heavy machinery and other required material had also been made available at protective dykes, he added.

After taking details of sensitive embankments, spots and other administrative matters, he told reporters that the district administration was alert to face flood-like situation in monsoon rains.

He has also set up a control room at the Hesco headquarters to keep the situation in control, according to a handout on Friday.

Consumers can complain on phone numbers 022-9260242 and 022-9240005, including helpline 118, about any problems.

He directed the officials concerned to treat consumers politely and resolve their problems.

Mithi under water after three days of heavy rain

MITHI: With a crippled drainage system three days of heavy rain has turned all roads and streets in the town into water streams and flooded houses in almost all localities, forcing people to wade through waist-high water to go about their daily lives.

It started raining cats and dogs at 8.00pm on Friday and continued till the filing of this report, further raising level of stagnating rainwater from past two days of rain.

The town’s residents complained that with the drainage system dysfunctional for many years, the town had been left at the mercy of elements as no responsible official of the administration had turned up so far to mitigate their sufferings.

They said the rainwater had damaged costly home appliances, grain stocked in houses and other valuable belongings and expressed the fear if it was not drained out in time it would seep into foundations of their houses and cause them to crumble down.

They appealed to the government to come to their rescue and take to task the town’s administration over its utter failure to cope with heavy rain and its aftermath.

Meanwhile, relief inspecting judge Mian Fayyaz Rabbani, who paid visit to different parts of the town on the third of heavy rain to take stock of the situation, directed high officials of the administration to take steps on a war footing to pump out water from the town.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2015

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