President Asif Ali Zardari has given directions to expedite relief and rehabilitation activities for the rain affected people of Sindh and Balochistan‚ especially the dewatering of the inundated areas by utilizing all available resources in view of fast approaching winter season.
He said this during an interactive session with the concerned government officials and the local representatives through video-conferencing facility at a specially set up monitoring cell at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The President also asked for urgently providing wheat and sunflower seeds and fertilizers to the farmers in flood affected areas in all provinces.
Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar while briefing the media said that Chairman NDMA Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir said that 14000 tents in Sindh and 20000 tents were distributed in Balochistan to the affected families besides other parts of the country.
The Chairman said that irrigation system of Desert Pat Feeder along Sindh Balochistan border was over-topped and breached at several places. Similarly Begari Sindh Feeder was also affected. To cope with the situation‚ Khirthar Branch was strengthened to serve as defence line and to divert water towards Hairdin Drain.
He said that at present 69 de-watering pumps were operative to de-water rain water through various canals whereas eleven pumps were in standby in Sukkur. He said that further arrangements would be made in view of the emergent situation.
The meeting was informed that 161‚245 ration packs have been distributed in Sindh‚ 17500 in Punjab and 42250 in Balochistan.
The President directed that similar video conferencing facility be set up in the affected areas in Balochistan and linked with the Presidency for hands on briefing.
President directs to expedite relief activities in flood-hit areas
