THE Natural Disaster Management authority (NDMA) recently published a survey under the caption, ‘Flood-affected areas’ for the year 2012 across the country. The National Disaster Management team visited and surveyed flood-affected areas in every nook and cranny of the country and gathered a substantial data, as well as provided essential relief commodities to the affected people.

In its statistical report the NDMA revealed that the three units of the federal government -- Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan – have been severely hit by the recent torrential rains and floods.

According to the NDMA statistics, 4.7 million people have been hit in the three provinces, with Sindh being the worst-affected with 3.1 million people reportedly hit.

A total of 428 people lost their lives in three provinces, with Sindh’s casualties totaling 222 people dead, besides the many seriously injured. A total of 400,000 houses have collapsed in the provinces. Out of these 300,000 houses belonged to Sindh alone.

Besides, cattle and crops cultivated on thousands of acres were washed away with the heavy premature monsoon rain and flood that hit Sindh. Through the 18th Amendment the department of National Disaster Management Authority is transferred from the federal government to the provincial government. Thus, it is now a constitutional and humanitarian responsibility of the provincial government to provide prompt essential relief to the flood-affected people so that they could lead a normal life.

According to media, the Sindh government is working slow in providing facilities to the flood-affected people. As Sindh is the most affected according to the NDMA, it is requested of the Sindh chief minister to personally look after the relief arrangements made by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority as the delay in relief assistance may add to the miseries of flood victims.

ABDUL QAYOON DAL Hyderabad