GUJRAT: The district administration has made a written permission mandatory for the distribution of edible items, water and food in the flood-affected areas to avoid any possible threat to human life across the district.

According to a notification issued by Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Nurulain Qureshi, all the non-government organisations, unknown, unauthorised and unofficial notables have been directed to seek a written permission either from Punjab Food Authority (PFA) or the district health authority (DHA) prior to the distribution of any cooked, uncooked food items, water and milk in the flood-affected areas of Gujrat district.

The DC also ordered to impose section 144 in this regard for at least a month until Sept 27.

An official of the local administration said that such an action had been taken to protect the flood-hit people from any threat to their lives.

Meanwhile Gujrat Assistant Commisioner Bilal Zubair told Dawn that the data containing the lists of flood-affected villages and the populations had mainly been compiled for the distribution of food, water and milk among the people and the administration in collaboration with the local philanthropists, had been distributing food hampers in at least 80 villages right from Marala headworks to the downstream of the Chenab.

Moreover, it is learnt that door-to-door survey has also been planned to assess the losses incurred by the recent flooding as hundreds of the cattle were either went missing or died in the catastrophe whereas standing crops on a large scale were also damaged.

On the other hand, Gujranwala Commissioner Naveed Haider Sheerazi along with the officials of Gujranwala and Wazirabad districts visited the Sohdra town of Wazirabad and inspected the areas affected by the flooding in Palkhu drain as well as the Chenab.

A sizable portion of old GT road connecting Wazirabad with Gujrat from the old bridge side, have been washed away by the flooding water as now the people of both Gujrat and Wazirabad are compelled to commute from the GT Road bypass causing inconvenience mainly to the public transport vehicle and motorcyclists.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2025