KARACHI, Aug 20: President Pervez Musharraf has directed the federal and provincial governments and army engineers to take immediate measures to effectively cope with consequences of possible heavy monsoon rains.

He issued the directive at a briefing held to review the Left Bank Out fall Drain (LBOD) project at Governor House here on Friday. The briefing was attended, among others, by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Corps Commander Lt-Gen Ahsan Saleem Hyat, provincial Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari, Sindh Chief Secretary, senior federal and provincial government officials and officials of the Army Engineering Corps.

The president expressed deep concern over the damage and sufferings caused by rains and flood in Badin and Thatta districts last year and said that measures should be taken beforehand to avoid a recurrence.

He directed the Ministry of Water and Power, provincial Irrigation and Drainage Authority and the Army Engineering Corps to work in close cooperation. He said a committee be set up for this purpose.

The committee will study the recommendations of the engineering branch of General HQ about the LBOD. The recommendations, among others, call for better coordination among departments concerned.

It was observed that it could help avoid a discharge of 17,000 cusecs of water of Phuleli Canal into the KP out fall drain during heavy downpour; Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority should be provided with the requisite funds, expertise, manpower, and equipment for operation and maintenance of the huge system.

The president noted that sea water intrusion and tidal effects had gone beyond the limits envisaged in previous studies and directed that a thorough study be conducted to identify the anticipated limits of sea intrusions so as to address the apprehensions of the local population.

ARMY'S ROLE: Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of a power and sea water desalination plant in Karachi, the president said that the army was not involved in managing any business organization or institution in the country. However, there were some retired army officials who were running various organizations in collaboration with their civilian colleagues, he said. -APP / PPI