KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that billions of rupees have been invested to strengthen the protective embankments in the province, an official hand out issued here on Wednesday said.
The CM asked the Irrigation Department to prepare foolproof flood fighting contingency plan and directed the Deputy Commissioners to coordinate with all stakeholders and ensure its implementation within their jurisdictions to eliminate any chance of 2010 flood like situation.
He was presiding over a meeting regarding monsoon flood contingency plan and disaster risk management held here on Wednesday. The Sindh Minister for Agriculture Ali Nawaz Mahar, Minster for Works and Services Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani, Minister Local Govt Sharjeel Enam Memon, and other senior government officials. Commissioners of Larkana, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas participated in the deliberation through video link.
Addressing the meeting the Chief Minister directed the Civil Administration and Management of Local Govt to ensure proper cleaning of the drainage net including seasonal nullahs before monsoon sets in.
Expressing his apprehension over the massive encroachment on 13 to 14 nullahs in Karachi, he said that due to illegal practice of encroachments for decades the 70 feet bed width of the nullahs has narrowed down to 10 feet only.
In such a situation the KMC and KWSB should prepare a strategy for efficient disposal of heavy rain water from the urban areas under short term strategy and propose an effective storm water drainage plan for long term strategy.
The Chief Minister also formed the committee headed by Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Siddiqui to recommend precautionary measures in this regard.
He informed that heavy investment of about Rs 10 billion has so far been made not only to strengthen the embankments but also to restore the old water ways to avoid 2010 like flood situation once for all. He directed the Secretary Irrigation to prepare foolproof flood fighting contingency plan in such a way so that no incident of breach could be occurred and also instructed Secretary Health to prepare emergency plan and ensure that no epidemic of water borne disease breaks up.
The Chief Minister also directed the management of PDMA, Sindh Rehabilitation Department and Relief Deptt to be more vigilant and remain in close coordination with their stakeholder organization and be prepare to meet any eventuality. Secretary Irrigation Babar Afandi informed the meeting that schemes for clearance of spinal drain of LBOD and remodeling of drainage net work have been completed at a cost of Rs 5 billion while restoration of old water ways was being carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 4 billion.
He said that Sukkur Barrage after its strenthening was now strong enough to sustain the pressure of even 12.5 Lac cusec of water. however he pointed out three sites including old Tori Band, Qadir Pur Band and Shank were sensitive where strengthening work was in progress.
He demanded more funds to look after a total of 1444 km long flood protective embankments. He said that he had submitted 16 flood protective schemes to the flood protection commission out of which 3 have been approved till now.
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