LAHORE, July 4: The meteorological department has forecast torrential rains touching 200 to 250 millimetre mark in Lahore, Wazirabad, Gujranwala and other cities in the province from July 15 to Aug 15. Chief meteorologist Shaukat Ali Awan made the forecast during a provincial flood relief committee meeting held here on Monday with Revenue Minister Gul Hamid Rokari in the chair. Mr Awan stressed the need for proper arrangements for storm water drainage and protection of the people living in low-lying areas.

Participants in the meeting were informed that the flood water had entered four or five villages in Layyah. Army had shifted all residents to safe areas along with their belongings. Water had also entered Basti Noorwala in Bhakkar and Moch, Rokari and Eisa Khel areas of Mianwali, destroying crops of ‘moong’ and other pulses. Although the flood situation was not dangerous in Dera Ghazi Khan, necessary protective measures had been taken there.

Punjab relief commissioner and senior BoR member Safdar Javed Syed said the situation in Layyah, Bhakkar, Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan was not alarming.

He said that Dera Ghazi Khan residents had been advised to shift to safe areas as the flood situation was likely to continue for the next few days.

The committee was informed that the discharge at Tarbela was 2.13 lakh cusecs, Kalabagh four lakh cusecs, Chashma five lakh cusecs, Taunsa and D.G Khan 3.45 lakh cusecs. The water discharge was, however, decreasing.

The Livestock secretary informed the committee that cattle were being vaccinated in all flood-hit areas and vaccine was available in abundance.

Revenue Minister Gul Hamid Rokari said the people living in beds of rivers and ‘sem nullahs’ should be advised to shift to safe places instead of waiting for floods.

He also directed the relief commissioner to release flood relief funds to districts immediately.

The meeting was attended by additional chief secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, information secretary Taimur Azmat Osman, senior BoR member Safdar Javed Syed, home secretary Hasan Wasim Afzal, irrigation secretary Arif Nadeem, food secretary Muhammad Ahsan Raja, communication secretary Ahmed Yar Khan, local government special secretary Sajjad Saleem Hotiyana, livestock secretary Babar Yaqub, additional health secretary Ahmed Bilal, communication’s Muhammad Wasim, Lahore DCO Khalid Sultan and Wasa managing director Inam Qadir.