Flood, monsoon: chief minister Punjab directs all concerned departments to remain alert

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has directed all concerned departments to remain fully alert to cope with the threats of possible flood and monsoon in the province and better protective measures than previous year should also be made for meeting any emergent situation. He warned that any negligence and irresponsibility in connection with protective arrangements would not be tolerated.
He was presiding over a high level meeting with regard to review the arrangements for coping with the threats of possible flood and monsoon, here on Saturday. Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Minister for Irrigation Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Members Provincial Assembly belonging to Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Mianwali, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur and Multan, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Home Secretary, Commissioners of Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sargodha and secretaries of concerned departments attended the meeting.
Senior Member Board of Revenue Akhlaq Ahmad Tarrar, Secretary Irrigation Irfan Elahi and Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority Khalid Sherdil gave detailed briefing with regard to protective measures and construction of spurs and bunds.
Addressing the meeting, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that last year's flood caused vast devastation in the province. He himself remained in the field to review the relief and rehabilitation activities during the flood and number of departments demonstrated outstanding performance during devastations of flood. He said that this year, Commissioners, District Co-ordination Officers and concerned departments should also remain fully alert to meet any emergent situation and wherever the work of repair of spurs and bunds is incomplete, it should be completed on war-footing.
He directed to constitute a cabinet committee headed by Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa and consisting of Provincial Minister for Irrigation Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Members National and Provincial Assemblies of concerned districts and secretaries, which would review all protective measures by going to field and wherever need would be felt, it would submit its recommendations within seven days regarding improvement of protective measures, additional resources and purchase of necessary equipments. He said that in the light of cabinet committee report, steps would be taken for making protective arrangements more effective in the meeting to be presided over by him during next week.