QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has said that the provincial government has decided to declare Gwadar and Kech districts calamity-hit areas and issued directives for the chief secretary to take steps in this regard.

Talking to reporters during his visit to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) headquarters on Wednesday, he said huge losses had occurred in Gwadar and Kech districts due to heavy rains which lashed the Makran Coast the other day.

CM Bizenjo said the authorities concerned, including army, navy, Frontier Corps, police and Levies Force, had started rescue and relief operations in the rain-hit areas immediately, along with the civil administration.

He said the government was making all-out efforts to provide relief and shelter to the people rendered homeless as rain and flood water had entered their houses in Gwadar and Kech districts.

Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana, Director General of the PDMA Naseer Ahmed Nasar and other officials were also present on the occasion.

The PDMA director general briefed the chief minister on the relief and rescue operation in the calamity-hit areas and said that tents, blankets, food items and drinking water were being distributed among the rain-affected families in both districts.

Mr Bizenjo said the government had issued an alert before the start of rains and snowfall in the province and sent relief goods and machinery well before time to face any disaster.

“The government’s action brought good results as the affected people were immediately rescued and provided relief,” he said, adding that roads, closed due to heavy snowfall and rains, had been opened within 24 hours and traffic on all highways had also been restored. He said that more relief goods would be provided to the PDMA to send them to all areas as there were reports that the authority had faced shortage of relief goods during the earthquake in Harnai.

CM Bizenjo said the government had taken notice of overcharging by the owners of hotels and rest houses from the tourists who visited Ziarat during the snowfall. He said the local administration had then taken immediate steps and launched an action against such people.

“We have opened government rest houses for tourists in Ziarat,” he said.

In reply to a question, the chief minister thanked the opposition parties for extending help and cooperation for removing the previous government.

He said that these parties did not play any role in the formation of the new coalition government in the province.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2022