Relief work in flood-hit areas: Sindh government directed to keep an eye on prices, quality of medicines

President Zardari on Wednesday directed Sindh Government to keep an eye on the prices and quality of medicines and other supplies for the flood-hit people and directed that all procurement orders should be made available on internet for the sake of transparency and public information.
This he said while visiting and interacting with elected representatives and government officials of some most affected rain-hit areas of Sindh through the special video conferencing room set up at Aiwan-e-Sadr and monitoring relief work in around dozen of districts in Sindh.
The districts he visited include among others Badin, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Umerkot and Tharparker. Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the president has been personally monitoring the situation and the relief work being carried out in the affected areas.
He said that during president's stay in Karachi a special Flood Control Room at Bilawal House was set up to monitor the relief work and the steps taken against outbreak of dengue and other water-borne diseases. A special flood control room was also set up in the Presidency in Islamabad on Wednesday to continue monitoring flood relief measures from the federal capital, he said.
He said that a few days ago the president had visited Sanghar, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparker, Jamshoro, Dadu, Ghotki, Hyderabad and Naushehro Feroze and interacted with the officials as well as elected representatives of those areas to get information about the latest situation.
During today's interaction with officials and representatives of different areas, the president asked questions about the supply and demand position of food, water, medicines, mosquito repellants, and tents in the affected areas. The president was also informed about latest position vis-à-vis his directive for the arrangements for de-watering pumps to evacuate stagnant water in different areas.
Taking note of reports of rainwater accumulation in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparker and Benazirabad districts, the president directed member Water & Power, Secretary Irrigation Sindh and the ex-Secretary Irrigation department to meet on Thursday (tomorrow) and work out plan in this regard.
The president, specially, inquired about the complaints from the minorities' communities regarding any discrimination against them in provision of flood assistance. He said that he had seen reports of discrimination against Dalits and said that any discrimination on any ground would be unacceptable. The district officials assured the president that no discrimination on any ground whatsoever will be allowed and that serious notice will be taken of any violation.
The president, during video conferencing, also directed that the availability of lady doctors and health workers be ensured at all places where there was requirement. During today's video conferencing, with concerned Government officials and elected representatives present in the control rooms of their areas, Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Water & Power, Secretary General to the President M. Salman Faruqui, and other senior officials were present at the Aiwan-e-Sadr with the president. The Chief Minister Sindh was present in the Control Room of CM House Karachi and participated in the monitoring exercise via satellite.-PR