MUZAFFARGARH: This year, floods in the Indus and Chenab rivers are expected in June and July and the irrigation department has done arrangements to tackle the flooding and its consequences. Moreover, 150,000 cusecs freshet in the Chenab river passed through the district on Friday.

Irrigation Department Chief Engineer Rashid Mansoor said on Saturday freshet left no loss of property as only wheat crop came under flooding in those areas which were in the river belt. He said the department had made better arrangements for the safe passage of floods in the two major rivers in June and July.

Muzaffargarh Executive Engineer (EXEN) Malik Mohammad Zain said that the Chenab freshet stemmed from excessive rains in catchment area. On Saturday, the freshet wave entered the Head Punjnad and joined the Indus River. Deputy Commissioner Amjad Shoaib Tareen said that the spurs and floods embankments were being checked and they were safe.

The EXEN said that during lockdown he and his team were busy checking spurs for the forthcoming flood season. Sources said that in the next week the secretary of irrigation would visit the Muzaffargarh district to inspect work being done t the Head Taunsa Barrages.

TELEMEDICINE: The district administration opened a telemedicine service centre at the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital for outpatients while the DHQ hospital, basic health units and rural health centres closed due to the lockdown enforcement due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The telemedicine centre can be contacted by patients through mobile phones, WhatsApp and Zoom Apps anytime.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020