Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed all the concerned departments to strictly implement the “Pre Monsoon 2012 Contingency Plan” so that the damages and losses during heavy rains and floods as forecasted by metrological department could be minimized.
This he observed while presiding a high level meeting to review the pre-monsoon 2012 arrangements at CM House, said a statement issued on Tuesday.
He directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the province not to leave their respective district headquarters without prior permission from Chief Secretary or relevant Divisional Commissioners and should effectively monitor the pre-monsoon pre-cautionary measures by all the concerned departments.
The CM Sindh directed the concerned authorities to strengthen and fully equip the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and ensure the availability of Abkalani material at headquarters of DDMAs to have an immediate and urgent response during any eventuality.
He said tents, mosquito nets, blankets, life saving jackets, boats, dewatering pumps, fire brigades and ambulances should also be arranged. Coordinated efforts be made by all the departments to avoid the duplication of the efforts, he added.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that though the heavy rain fall has been predicted by weather forecast agencies but there is no need to create unnecessary panic among the people as provincial government has evolved an effective planning to face any emergency like situation.
All the stakeholder departments are well prepared and last two years consecutive experience for rescue and relief activities will also help to a great deal, he added.
The CM Sindh asked the PDMA and divisional commissioners for formulation of district and taluka level committees for arranging risk management, rescue, relief, vigilance, transport, machinery, health, sanitation, food, veterinary and hygiene.
He directed the DCs to identify places at high points for installation of tents and relief camps so that immediate shifting of low lying communities should be made easy during rains and floods. He directed for early completion of remaining work on LBOD while the Secretary Irrigation Sindh informed that there was even not a single breach opened and all the breaches have been plugged and all rains bunds have been strengthened. Construction of new drains in Jhudo, Badin and Tando Allahyar are underway and 80 percent of work has been completed so-far, he added.
He said that MPAs, local communities and representatives of growers are also monitoring the ongoing work at different places; this work by any cost will be completed before the planned deadline of June 31, 2012.
The CM Sindh said that President Asif Ali Zardari has directed to remove encroachments from river embankments while Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Police and all other department should cooperate with irrigation department to evacuate the encroachments and strict legal action be taken against the encroachers.
Commissioner Mirpurkhas informed the meeting that encroachments from Jhudo, Dhoro puran and Sarfraz dhoro have been removed.
He informed that there was fear among people and they were reluctant to cultivate the crops as NDMA and Pakistan Metrological Department had forecasted weather too early.
Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo said that Irrigation Department had faced numerous challenges in last years floods and strategy with improved measures is being evolved.
Advisor to C.M for Relief Haleem Adil Shaikh stressed upon the need to get cooperation from international community, NGOs, and donor agencies as even well developed countries can not face the natural disasters alone.
He added that international community/donors were ready to provide all kinds of support as they did in last year’s flood, we only need to facilitate them and properly guide them to reach at the affected areas.
He told that in Durban climate change conference, it was informed that environmental risk-wise Pakistan has jumped to number 16 from its previous 29 number in the list of most sensitive countries as far as environmental hazards are concerned.
He stressed upon the need to activate the civil society and campaign be launched among people of vulnerable areas about how to face disaster. The meeting was briefed by Irrigation and PDA Departments about the pre-monsoon contingency plan, stakeholders role and coordination mechanism.
The PDMA Chairman highlighted and defined the pre, during and post disaster responsibilities of revenue, education, police, agriculture, civil defence, livestock, fisheries, Pakistan Metrological Department and armed forces.
Secretary Irrigation Sindh Babar Effendi added that total length of flood protection infrastructure is 1325 miles, which include front line Bunds of 875 miles, loop Bunds of 331 miles while Flood Protection (F.P) Bund is 119 miles.
All the vulnerable points have been raised and strengthened, he added.
Talking about long term combating efforts, Babar Effendi mentioned that after 2010 floods 76 schemes for up-gradation of system were identified for which loan was negotiated with Asian Development Bank.
He said that other Abklani arrangements as per consumption will be streamlined while stone stocks at vulnerable points have already been arranged, machines like Excavators, Dozers, Tractor Trolleys and other vehicles at every 10 miles along Bund lines will be deployed.
He said that master plan for left bank of river Indus has been prepared by M/s Louis Berger for up-gradation of drainage system including activation of old dhoras are also under process.
He said that during rainfall 2012 substantial damage was caused on which 80 percent progress of restoration work has been achieved and rest work would be completed before the deadline 30th June 2012.
He informed that in total 242 electricity and diesel dewatering pumps are available at drainage division Shaheed Benazirabad, Nasir division, Hala division, Jamhsoro division, Mithrao division and Tharparkar division.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Minister for Rehabilitation, Muzaffar Shujra, Advisor to C.M Sindh for Relief,
Haleem Adil Shaikh, Chief Secretary Sindh Raja Muhammad Abbas, Principal Secretary to C.M Agha Jan Akhtar, Secretary Irrigation Sindh Babar Effendi, Secretary Finance Sindh Naveed Kamran Baloch, DG PDMA and Commissioners of Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Sukkur divisons.