MIRPURKHAS, Aug 23: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has declared three talukas of the Mirpurkhas district and four of Sanghar as calamity-hit and directed the Sindh relief commissioner to conduct a survey of loss of lives and livestock and damage to crops and houses due to heavy rainfall in the province.

The three talukas are Sindhri, Mirpurkhas and Hussain Bux Mari.

Speaking to journalists at the Circuit House here on Wednesday, he said the heavy downpour in Mirpurkhas had affected Badin and Sanghar districts comparatively more than other areas. Sindh Health Minister Shabbir Ahmed Kaimkhani, Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari, Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi and Relief Commissioner Sindh Syed Anwar Haider were present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that after a survey report by the relief commissioner, the people of other affected areas would be given remission of agriculture loans and taxes.

Dr Arbab said he would himself visit the talukas of Digri, Kot Ghulam Mohammad and Jhuddo to assess the damages before taking decision for declaring them calamity-affected.

He announced releasing Rs200 million immediately for relief and rescue work for rain-affected people of Sindh. He said that ration and other help would be provided without any discrimination.

The chief minister said Rs5,000 each would be paid to those people whose katcha houses had been damaged in heavy rainfall while compensation would be paid to the heirs of people died from electrocution and in other rain-related incidents, after completion of survey report.

To a question, he said it was a design fault in the LBOD that it had no structure of closing its doors for saving people from backflow of water. He regretted that natural disposal of rainwater including Puran and Dhora had been closed as a result of which water accumulated in the city, towns and villages of the district.

If there were water reservoirs or dams such water could have been stored, he said.

He and Sindh ministers visited the sites where breaches had developed in taluka Hussain Bux Mari in LBOD near Tando Adam road to examine work of plugging breaches.

Zila Nazim Dr Sughra Junejo, taluka nazim Hussain Bux Mari Mumtaz Hussain Mari, naib nazim Ali Nawaz Mari and taluka nazim Sindhri Sarfaraz Junejo were present.

He directed the irrigation department to desilt and repair the LBOD drains and said assistance could be sought from the federal government.

Earlier, he was briefed by director Nara Canal Area Water Board Ghulam Mustafa Dahiri and DCO Mirpurkhas Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah.

Our Sanghar Correspondent adds: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim declared talukas Singhoro, Sanghar, Khipro and Jam Nawaz Ali as calamity-hit during his visit to the rain devastated areas in the district on Wednesday.

He went to Kandiari, Nauabad, Jam Nawaz Ali, Dilore Mori, Jhol and finally reached Sanghar.

He visited devastated fields and met the families hit by rain at Kandiari and other places.

He also visited relief camps established by the district administration. It was a natural calamity and the Sindh government was fully aware of the difficulties faced by the people, he said.

A complete survey would be carried out to assess the devastation and all affected areas would get relief in terms of rescheduling of loans, revenue and agricultural taxes and compensations for damaged houses and also for these who died or injured due to rain and floods.

Earlier, Sindh Relief Commissioner Anwar Haider visited the affected areas to assess the damage. The chief minister was accompanied by Minister for Irrigation Nadir Akmal Leghari, MPA Haji Pir Bux Junejo, Jam Madad Ali and district nazim Haji Khuda Bux Rajar and the district officials.

On emergency basis, Rs5.5 million were provided for pumps to drain out rain water, Rs1.5 million for relief camp and Rs1 million for medicines.

During the visit at Kandiari, Bassi and many other places, the victims complained about the lack of relief efforts by the district government. They said they are sitting in the open without food, medicine. Even the drinking water was not available, they told the chief minister.

They said the administration had failed to provide any relief.

FOUR KILLED: Four persons were killed and four others, including a woman, injured in different incidents during 24 hours in the district.

Intekhab Alam, 50, son of Abdul Latif, was electrocuted in village Babu near Mirwah town. Kirshan, 12, son of Wassan, was killed due to snakebite.

In village Alamabad, near Khipro town, the roof of a house collapsed killing Pir Bux Rajar, 50. A four-year-old unidentified child was killed in Shadi Palli town when a wall of the room caved in.

Four persons, including Mohammad Qasim, Ms Satbai, her daughter Rehana and Din Mohammad were seriously injured when walls of two houses collapsed in village Missan. They were admitted to the civil hospital.