LAHORE – The Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal (JFIT) registrar handed over a judicial inquiry report on canal and spur breaches during floods to the Punjab Home Secretary in a ceremony held at the Lahore High Court on Monday.
JFIT Registrar Irfan Saeed said the Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal by the Chairman Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and members Abdul Sattar Shakir and Shafqat Masood completed the report “A Rude Awakening” consisting 475 pages supported by 91 appendices spread over 30,594 pages on April 8. Saeed refused to reveal the names of people responsible for breaches. Even though the registrar contended the report to be a public document, its copies were not provided to the media.
The Punjab government had constituted a three-member inquiry commission on September 2, 2010 to probe breaching of canal protective embankments and spurs causing loss to public property during floods in the province.
The tribunal investigated reasons behind breaches at Jinnah Barrage, Tunsa Barrage, Jampur and Kot Mitthan embankments. The tribunal also held hearings in Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan and Rajanpur and inspected the dykes, examining departmental representatives and granting hearings to the complainants.
The areas under inquiry were along River Indus starting Jinnah Barrage down to upstream Guddu Barrage and the breaches that required to be investigated including the Left Guide Bund (LGB) at Jinnah Barrage, Right Marginal Bund (RMB) at Taunsa Barrage, Jampur Dyke and Fakhar Flood Dyke in district Rajanpur. According to a handout issued here on Sunday, the tribunal ensured the public access to the flood affectees so that they could conveniently voice their statements to the tribunal.
