Sutlej River water inundates hundreds of acres of land, crops
Our Correspondent
Kasur/Bahawalpur
Several villages and cotton crop standing on hundreds of acres of land have been flooded by river Sutlej water after flash flood entered the vicinity of the river in some areas of Bahawalpur district. Reports reaching here suggested that several villages in Mauza Gul Dera, Mari Qasim Shah, Saifan, Khairpur Tamewali, Hasilpur and others have been affected by flood water. ‘Due to water pressure, embankment of river Sutlej was broken up in Dera Bakha area, over 20 kilometers off Bahawalpur city and resultantly, flash flood entered the villages located within vicinity of the river,’ the official sources said.
‘Traffic on roads was suspended in affected areas, however, no loss of life was reported,’ the official sources said. The district management of Bahawalpur has issued red alert for population living within vicinity of river Sutlej. Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur, Shozab Saeed along with other officials visited Dera Bakha, Saifan, Ahmedpur Sharqia and other areas and inspected the flood situation.
Meanwhile, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal on Tuesday visited flood affected areas of Kasur district along river Sutlej and reviewed relief activities there. He visited various villages, affected by the recent floods, caused by water released by India into the rivers entering Pakistan from their side. While briefing the media at a flood relief camp, set up by the district government Kasur, the NDMA chairman hailed the performance of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), district government and other departments and said that timely measures, taken by these departments averted flood losses. He said that due to heavy rains in India, it was expected that water would be released into the rivers entering Pakistan from across the border and the departments concerned had made adequate arrangements to cope with the situation.
Muhammad Afzal said that there was only one casualty caused by the floods and 45 others sustained injuries as no major human or property damages were reported. However, some crops were damaged. He said that under the Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan would take up the case with India in which three points would be raised. Firstly, minimum of 1,000 to 3,000 cusecs of water should always flow in these rivers all the time. Secondly, in case of flooding, early warning system should be made more active; and thirdly, Pakistan should also have access to all river chatchments areas.
