A delegation of the American Consulate visited the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab office, here on Tuesday.
The delegation toured the PDMA control room and reviewed the working.
PDMA Director General Imran Qureshi briefed the delegates about the ongoing relief and rehabilitation activities in flood-hit areas and elucidated the operational framework of PDMA. He outlined the strategies employed for addressing and mitigating the impact of natural disasters. Imran Qureshi said that medical camps, food, clean drinking water and other basic facilities were being provided in affected areas, adding that around 548 villages were affected by recent floods in which funds and logistics were being provided. The DG informed the delegation about transparency in fund disbursement process in the affected areas and about audit report prepared by third party. He said that helping farmers by assessing crop damage was their priority. The PDMA was using all resources to restore the affected areas, he said and added that local and international organisations were associated with the PDMA. The delegation was briefed about the plan to deal with natural calamities. Briefings were given on urban flooding, smog, heat wave, drought and other disasters. The delegation was informed about the locust attacks. Later, PDMA DG Imran Qureshi presented a shield to the American Consulate delegation.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned that high-level flooding situation might take place for Bahawalpur region in case of further heavy rainfall in India which already had release water into Sutlej River. Official sources in the PDMA said that PDMAs Board of Revenue, Punjab has wrote letter to Commissioner Bahawalpur Division and Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur to make necessary arrangements to tackle any emergency like situation if high-level flooding situation might take place in Sutlej river in case of further heavy rainfall in India. The PDMA said that as per the information shared by Pakistan Commission for Indus Water, Indian dams constructed on Sutlej River including Bhakra Dam and Pong Dam had been filled to maximum level due to heavy rainfall.
The Indian dams may cause high-level flooding situation in Sutlej River in case of further heavy rainfall, the PDMA letter said. It furhter said that more release from the Indian reservoirs may cause any untoward situation including vast inundation in areas including Kasur, Okara, Pakpatan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, Multan and Bahawalpur on Sutlej river.
The divisional and district managements have been instructed that in case of high level flooding, a number of societies, small towns constructed in flood plains and along with Sutlej River may be inundated, the letter said.
