LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Planning and Development (P&D) and Cabinet Committee on Floods Chairman Malik Nadeem Kamran has appreciated the Cabinet Committee members, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and different provincial departments especially the local government, Meteorological, Police, Rescue 1122, Irrigation and Agriculture for their cooperation, support and efforts to deal with rains and floods during the outgoing monsoon season.
Chairing the 16th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Floods Control at Civil Secretariat here on Monday, Malik Nadeem Kamran lauded the performance of chairmen and vice chairmen of various UCs in all districts of the province as well. He also appreciated all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners for their timely response to cope with rains and floods during the outgoing monsoon season. He said that natural calamities like floods can be dealt with in a better manner through planning and coordinated efforts, adding that departments should focus on building capacities to deal with disasters.
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of different departments to tackle with the monsoon season this year, Punjab Chief Secretary Captain (retd) Zahid Saeed directed all the deputy commissioners to remain fully vigilant and alert in the wake of any possible shortage of water during the Rabi crops season and directed Irrigation and Agriculture departments to maintain close and continuous liaison with each other and to preparea comprehensive plan to ensure availability of required water to the crops. He said that practical efforts were needed to overcome challenges and problems and he was sure that in case of any untoward situation, both the departments would coordinate with each other.
PDMA DG Mudassar Waheed Malik briefed the meeting about the Post Flood/Monsoon Season 2017 review report, status of grant of financial assistance to the victims of fire incidents at Sadiqabad and Layyah and requested the Cabinet Committee to sanction grant of honorarium equal to 1 month salary to the staff, officers of DMD, PDMA and to all other officers and officials of provincial and federal government departments who performed their duties round the clock in PDMA’s Control Room during this year’s monsoon season. Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Riaz briefed the meeting that the weather would remain dry in the days to come; however isolated rains are expected in northern areas of Pakistan.
Provincial ministers, secretaries of different provincial departments, deputy commissioner Lahore and high officials of concerned departments attended the meeting in the Civil Secretariat, while deputy commissioners and high officials of concerned departments participated in the meeting from their respective districts through video link.
