NAROWAL / SIALKOT: Flood in Nullah Baein due to recent rains has affected more than a dozen villages in Shakargarh tehsil, restricting the residents to their homes.

The floodwater has damaged the crops and cattle pens in Mandiali, Khosay, Talwara, Hersa Kot, Satowal, Miserial, Bhajna, Walipur, Bordh, Panwan, Nangalpur, Thallaypur and Kotla villages.

Meanwhile, the irrigation department repaired a big breach in the dyke of Nullah Aik in Sialkot’s congested Shujaabad-Naikapura locality which had flooded the city on July 27.

Breach repaired in Nullah Aik’s dyke

Talking to the media on Friday, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Asif Tufail said the repair of other eight breaches in Nullah Aik and two big breaches in Nullah Dek’s protective dykes in Pasrur tehsil would also start soon.

He said nine breaches had occurred in Nullah Aik in Sialkot city and its surroundings due to the flood as the nullah had the capacity of 25,000 cusecs while 38,102 cusecs flood passed through it after release of water by India.

He said the situation was under control as the water level was continuously receding in rivers Chenab and Jammu-Tavi at Head Marala and the seasonal nullahs, namely Aik, Dek, Palkhu, Bhed and Bassunter.

Mr Tufail added that the Marala-Ravi-Link Canal had been closed by the irrigation department due to which villages in Pasrur and Bajwat had been flooded. He said relief activities were going on in the flood-hit areas of Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur tehsils.

Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Committee on Flood Chairman Malik Nadeem Kamran directed the irrigation department to ensure early repair of the breaches in nullahs Aik and Dek.

He was addressing a meeting of the committee in DCO office to review the flood situation. He directed the officials of the health department to establish medical camps in the flood-hit areas. The DCO briefed him on the steps taken after the flood.

District Emergency Officer (DEO) Syed Kamal Abid and TMA Administrator Dr Umer Sher Chattha and Provincial Secretary Irrigation retired Capt Saif Anjum also spoke while local MPAs were also present.

Later, Mr Kamran visited the flood-hit areas of Sialkot city and Pasrur tehsil and reviewed the situation.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2016