LAHORE: An emergent meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman reviewed the flood situation across the province and took important decisions to ensure public safety and effective disaster response here on Friday.
The meeting held at the committee room of Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s (PDMA) decided to deploy additional administrative officers to flood-affected districts, ensure the immediate evacuation of residents from vulnerable riverine areas, and carry out the controlled breaching of Rivas Bridge as a preventive step to safeguard Jhang and Chiniot districts. Other measures included the establishment of tent villages for displaced families and the immediate deployment of Clinic-on-Wheels units to provide mobile healthcare in affected areas.
The proposal to temporarily close educational institutions in the most impacted districts for one week was also taken under consideration.
The meeting was attended virtually by Provincial Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir, along with divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and secretaries of key departments. In-person attendees included Relief Commissioner Punjab Nabeel Javed, Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia, and senior officials from relevant provincial departments.
The Chief Secretary directed that tent villages be equipped with essential services, including clean drinking water, food supplies, medical aid, and adequate security. He also instructed the Livestock Department to ensure uninterrupted supply of fodder and livestock vaccinations in the affected areas, in order to mitigate rural economic losses.
During the briefing, the DG PDMA said that the ninth spell of monsoon rains is expected to impact several major divisions, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Sahiwal. A large flood wave in the River Chenab is moving toward Jhang, while 217,000 cusecs of floodwater is currently flowing through the River Ravi, with water levels expected to recede in the coming hours.
The meeting also decided that riverine belts in Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, and Toba Tek Singh must be evacuated without delay to prevent any potential loss of life.
The Chief Secretary commended the efforts of PDMA, Rescue 1122, district administrations and all relevant departments for their timely response. He emphasized that all medical camps must remain fully stocked with essential medicines, including snake anti-venom and emergency first aid supplies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025