Staff Reporter
Punjab Minister for Disaster Management Mian Khalid Mahmood said the flood situation remained under control in the first monsoon spell and no loss of life or property was reported anywhere in the province.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the minister said the timely rescue and relief operations have helped to minimize the possible losses and it is satisfying that paraphernalia of PDMA has been ensured up to the union council level to promptly help the people in need.
During this period, reports of different incidents were received from Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and Kasur in which the seven incidents of roof falling have occurred, he said. Meanwhile, another report about the falling of the wall was collected from Gujrat.
Two people have been seriously injured while seven others received minor injuries in a total of eight incidents, the minister stated, adding that an animal has also perished in Sialkot.
The PDMA and line departments are fully active to deal with the situation as the meteorological department did not explicate any significant shift in weather conditions in the next 48 hours, he added. The flow of water in rivers is reported below the flood level, he further said.
However, there is a chance of drizzle in areas near large rivers like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Multan divisions.
The PDMA is also devising a comprehensive policy for the protection of agri lands and localities from rivers’ erosion under the floodplain regulation act, 2016 so that undue interference in the shape of settlement in flood areas will be discouraged, the minister revealed.
The minister said necessary resources have been provided by PDMA to emergency centres set up at the level of villages and tehsils across Punjab.
Meanwhile, the finance department has timely provided resources, he said. Similarly, the agri lands and neighbourhoods were being protected from river erosions.
in collaboration with the irrigation department and local administration.
