A parliamentary panel on Tuesday expressed concerns over inappropriate measures taken for the rehabilitation of affectees in rain/flood hit areas of Sindh and Balochistan. Members of a sub-committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change expressed dissatisfaction over a briefing from officials of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The committee directed all concerned officers of provincial governments and PDMA to appear before the committee and explain the current status of relief activities and the rehabilitation process in affected areas. The committee will visit affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan with Mehreen Razzaque Bhutto (convener) to determine the damage and to suggest remedial measures. While presenting a briefing on Sindh, the director general of PDMA told the committee that a total of 3,127,158 people and 490,393 houses had been affected due to the recent floods and rains. Around 900,000 people had been affected in 17 Union Councils of Jacobabad district, where 110,130 food packets had been distributed by PDMA. Answering a question, he informed the committee that Rs 20 million had been allocated to counter the situation, but only Rs 6 million had been handed to PDMA by the government of Sindh. The committee directed the authority to provide details of families who had not been rehabilitated till now. Members of the committee concluded that provinces had not been prepared to provide details regarding a plan of action and results of relief activities. The director general of PDMA Balochistan informed the committee that a total of 15 districts had been affected due to the recent floods and rain, out of which four districts including Nasserabad, Jafferabad, Jhal Magsi and Khuzdar had been badly hit.
