KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said the irrigation department, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the district management are alert and aware of the torrent currently passing from the River Indus, which hopefully would make its way into the sea without flooding more areas.

The chief minister observed this while talking to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Gen Asghar Nawaz here on Sunday who called on him at the CM House. Talking about the measures taken by the NDMA to meet the ongoing flood situation and relief and rescue efforts, the chief minister highlighted the need to formulate strategy at the national level to meet any natural calamity.

The chief minister said natural calamities had become a routine matter due to changes in the climate which called for formulating strategy at the federal level in which all federating units played their role to meet the challenges squarely.

He recalled that after 2010, 2011 and 2012 flood and torrential rains, the country had to face drought for three to four years from in which Thar and Cholistan areas suffered most. The Sindh government during those years provided food and fodder for millions of people and their livestock, he said. Referring to the ongoing flood, the chief minister said the Sindh government started preparations to meet the flood situation since last March and had issued instructions to the PDMA, irrigation department and the administrative machinery concerned to take all necessary steps in case of any incident.

The chief minister expressed surprise over remarks by some persons describing the water flow of Indus as waste of water into the sea, pointing out that flow of fresh water into the sea was essential, otherwise million of acres would turn into saline land like coastal areas of Thatta and Badin where millions of acre land had become barren.

He also said that despite flood in the Indus, people living in katcha areas had not vacated till the last moment. However, he said, the district administration after inundation of the area had shifted people and their livestock to safer places.

On the occasion, Gen Asghar informed the chief minister that the NDMA extended full support to the institutions pertaining to relief efforts and made every effort to provide relief to the affected families. He also urged the need to establish 1122 rescue phone service in other provinces also.

Planning and Development Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Waseem said that during the financial year, Rs250 million were allocated to NDMA to set up 1122 service in the province which after necessary training would be handed over to the KMC to work under the Urban Research and Rescue team.

Those present during the meeting included Chief Secretary Siddique Memon and PDMA chief Syed Suleman Shah.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play