GUJRAT: The district administration has decided to establish as many as 25 flood relief camps in the district, besides desilting of stormwater drains in the urban areas to cope with the emergency situation apprehended because of floods in the coming rainy season.

At an emergency meeting of the district disaster management authority (DDMA) presided over by Deputy Commissioner Dr Khurram Shahzad at the District Government Complex, here on Tuesday, teams were also constituted to cope with the urban flooding caused by rains. It also decided provision of de-watering sets to union councils and cleaning of sewerage system.

Gujrat Municipal Corporation Administrator Dr Rani Hafsa Kanwal and other senior officers of the administration and different government departments were among the participants.

The meeting was informed that 25 different sites had been selected for the establishment of relief camps across the district, including 15 in Gujrat tehsil and five each in Kharian and Sara-I-Alamgir tehsils.

The district has been divided into 13 sectors administratively and in terms of Rescue 1122’s relief activities it is divided into four sectors to cope with the emergency situations during the floods.

The DC said the departments of health, livestock, irrigation and emergency had also been directed to mobilise their resources and move them close to the areas under flood threat.

He said the municipalities of the district, particularly the Gujrat MC, had been directed to take measures to cop with the urban flooding caused by heavy rains.

Mock flood relief exercises would also be arranged, he said, adding that the irrigation department would conduct a survey to monitor encroachments along the stormwater channels across the district.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019