SUKKUR, July 10: The Sindh chief minister, Sardar Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar, has said the rains would prove to be a boon for the economy of the province.
Talking to newsmen at the Sukkur Airport on Thursday, he said that a sufficient amount had been earmarked in the budget for strengthening protective bunds throughout Sindh.
He directed the irrigation authorities to ensure constant vigilance over vulnerable points of bunds, if any.
He warned them that inefficient officials would never be tolerated in case of any lapse.
He directed the district government officials to ensure that stagnant water was drained out from urban as well as rural areas falling in their respective areas so that the general public would not have to suffer in any way.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES: The district coordination officer, Sukkur, Pir Ziaul Haq Suharwardi, has directed the officers of various departments to ensure that necessary precautionary measures were taken against the floods.
He said this while reviewing the measures taken so far in a meeting held here on Thursday.
The superintendent engineer, B. S. Feeder Circle, Guddu Barrage, and Khairpur Circle, Sukkur Barrage, told the meeting that there was no vulnerable point on any bund in the area.
The DCO directed irrigation officials to ensure that strict vigilance was kept and effective patrolling was carried out on protective bunds.
The EDO, Health, was directed to ensure that first aid was available at the relief centres.
The district food controller was directed to ensure that there was a sufficient stock of rice, wheat and flour during an emergency.
EDUCATION: A steering committee will be formed to improve the education system and literacy rate in the district.
This was decided at a meeting of the Education Sector Reforms Assistance (ESRA), held at the circuit house here on Wednesday.
The four-year $60 million ESRA programme was launched in January in the country under the US Aid, covering four districts each in all the provinces. Sukkur, Khairpur, Hyderabad and Thatta were selected as model districts in Sindh.
The 15-member committee, with District Nazim Syed Nasir Hussain Shah as its head, would meet every month and discuss ways and means to improve the education system.