HYDERABDA: Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro and Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani jointly chaired a meeting regarding looming rain emergency on Saturday in the wake of latest alert sounded by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The meeting reviewed the prevailing weather conditions and steps for the management in the face of rain emergency.

Speaking to the media, the ministers gave details of the meeting and said all the departments concerned had been put on alert. They said that after reviewing the arrangements already taken to deal with heavy rainfall and aftermath, necessary directives had been issued and precautionary measures taken to help people in an emergency situation.

Saeed Ghani said: “There are some institutions, including HW&SC, which are not fulfilling their responsibilities … issues cannot be rectified within few days but government is making efforts to do its best”.

He said that preparations were being made to deal with the rains that had been recorded so far. If the rainfall turned heavier than expected, it would be a bit difficult to cope with situation, he added.

Jam Khan Shoro told the media that Sindh government had tasked him with overseeing rain emergency measures in Hyderabad district and that was why, this meeting was held today. He said that departments had been put on alert.

Earlier, Saeed Ghani told the meeting that after the recent rains in Sindh, including Hyderabad, the situation was under control so far but in case of more rains, some issues might crop up. Such issues would be addressed through administrative machinery involving all the departments concerned whose all officials would be in field to help people.

He said the Hyderabad Water & Sewerage Corporation (HW&SC) was demanding ‘a monthly grant’ to run its affairs properly but it was not possible for the provincial government to provide it such a grant every month. However, he added, the civic utility would indeed get a grant during the current [monsoon] season.

The HW&SC managing director had demanded Rs240m in grant.

He said that elected local government representatives were available to serve people. A back-up plan should be kept ready to deal with issues relating to electricity outages, he said.

Jam Khan Shoro said that water discharges into irrigation canals would be reduced during rains wherever machinery was installed during the 2022 flood. That plan should be kept in mind, he added. The minister said that HW&SC should keep itself ready to deal with the looming emergency.

He said that express feeders should be started at some sensitive pumping stations. Some pumping stations in Hyderabad were not built considering natural gravity, therefore, they must be equipped with generators to dispose of rainwater.

He said that HW&SC should improve its recovery graph as all government institutions were paying their HW&SC bills.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024