LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said the government has finalised a comprehensive strategy to protect the province from the effects of the intense heatwave and

possible flooding, with all relevant departments placed on alert and district administrations directed to ensure preparedness measures.

Presiding over a meeting held here on Thursday to review preparedness for heatwave and flood-related risks arising from climate change.

She said the essence of good governance lay in preventing disasters rather than responding after damage had occurred.

“It is no achievement to apply balm after a wound has been inflicted — the real governance is to prevent the wound in the first place. There is no wisdom in firefighting after floods arrive. The real work is preparation in advance,” she said, adding that the government is continuously learning from past experiences and constructing new flood protection embankments wherever required.

She said a seven-kilometre-long and ten-foot high embankment at Jalalpur Pirwala, where severe flooding had occurred last year, was nearing completion.

Referring to Alipur, which had also suffered extensive flooding, she said the Chandar Bun embankment had now been completed there.

The chief minister said the 12.6kms long and 16-foot high Noor Raja Bhatta embankment had been completed, while the safety of all hydraulic structures of the irrigation department had been ensured before the onset of the monsoon season.

She said the flood-hit irrigation infrastructure had been restored in a record period, while the province’s water monitoring system had also been modernised.

She said a new 48-km-long embankment was being constructed in the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) area, which had been inundated during the previous year’s floods, while all flood-prone areas of Lahore had now been secured.

She said the livestock department had completed mapping of animals across the province, identifying vulnerable areas, fodder requirements and livestock populations.

The CM said the government had ensured the availability of clean drinking water, medicines, “Clinic on Wheels” services and mobile livestock hospitals in the affected areas. Livestock vaccination had been completed before the monsoon, fodder stocks had been pre-positioned in all districts and 710 modern vaccine storage units had been established, she added.

The chief minister said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) central and district control rooms are fully operational to meet any emergency situation.

She warned that no negligence or delay would be tolerated.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2026