HYDERABAD, Oct 15: People displaced by floods have started leaving Hyderabad as a caravan comprising 173 families returned to their native places from here on Friday.

The caravan was seen off by chairman of the Hyderabad District Relief Committee MNA Syed Ameer Ali Shah Jamote, Sindh Minister for Special Education Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi and District Administrator of Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri in a ceremony held at a local hotel on the National Highway near Hatri.

The departing internally-displaced persons (IDPs) were provided free transport facilities and ration packets for one week.

Mr Jamote, speaking on the occasion, said that the PPP government, its leaders and workers provided rescue and relief facilities to flood survivors whatever was humanly possible.

He said that after flood devastation, affected people had been provided shelter, food and medical facilities throughout Sindh by the PPP government.

He said that in Hyderabad, the district government hosted more than 60,000 IDPs in relief camps in addition to 40,000 those who preferred to live with their relatives or in rented houses, but they were also provided ration and medical facilities.

He said that though return of IDPs had started in the province, people belonging to the areas which were still under floodwater would be provided facilities at relief camps and not a single IDP would be forced to leave the camp.

Mr Rizvi said that action would be taken against officials who forced IDPs to leave relief camps.

Mr Khatri informed that 75 per cent IDPs camped at Hyderabad had been provided Watan Cards in addition to those who came from other districts. EDO of Revenue Syed Barkat Rizvi said that now only 37,000 IDPs were living in relief camps and 15,000 at other places in Hyderabad while others had left for their native places.