Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister for Information and Archives Moula Bux Chandio said on Saturday that the PML-N government should activate the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Indus River System Authority (Irsa) and Wapda in real manner ahead of expected flood nd provide sufficient funds to Sindh for strengthening Indus River’s dykes.
“Though the work of strengthening dykes of Indus River, taking precautionary measures and allocating all required emergency funds in view of expected floods is supposed to be carried out by the federal government, but this work is being done by the Sindh government alone. The Centre have deprived Sindh of due share in funds including those for flood protection, while share from gas and oil resources have also been reduced by 50 per cent which is great injustice”.
He said the province had even been deprived of payment of the curtailed share since last three years. He said the PML-government also seemed lethargic in activating NDMA, IRSA and Wapda in real manner as these national institutions need to prepare a joint national action plan and coordinate with the provincial governments, including Sindh. The federal government needs to provide necessary technical assistance and special financial assistance to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (Sindh) for tackling expected floods, he said.
The adviser said that the Sindh government had taken proper measures to tackle expected floods from Indus River. “Floods are likely to hit Sindh, and therefore, precautionary measures are necessary to be taken forthwith,” he said. “All district governments in Sindh should also devise their comprehensive plans in view of expected floods and heavy rains forecast. They should monitor the sensitive points of River Indus dykes and strengthen all vulnerable points of all dykes.” He said that hospitals across Sindh should also establish their strategic plans to meet any emergency situations during floods.
Chandio also advised the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) and district governments in Sindh to cleanse water channels and strengthen River Indus’s dykes ahead of floods so as to avoid human and financial losses. All successive PPP governments, under the dynamic leadership of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari paid great attention towards flood issues and provided relief to all affectees, he added.
