With a view to co-ordinating all matters pertaining to Flood 2010, the Punjab government has formed a dedicated unit in the Planning & Development Department with immediate effect. This unit of the Planning & Development Department will co-ordinate all matters relating to rehabilitation, reconstruction of Government Infrastructure damaged due to Flood 2010.
The unit will also co-ordinate with Federal Government, Planning Commission and donors for assistance besides co-ordinating with provincial line departments/ agencies. Sources told Business Recorder that Secretary Planning & Development Department will be Incharge of this unit while Member (Infrastructure Development), Project Director, the Urban Unit, Senior Chief (ECA), Chief (Co-ordination), and Additional Secretary (Admn) P&D Department will be the members of the unit.
According to sources, floods in Punjab affected 12 districts and 8.20 million population. Cropped area over 3.50 millions of acres was also affected while losses are estimated of over Rs 100 billion. While the survey of damages in effected districts is underway, the Punjab government immediately requires billions of rupees for relief work. The funds are required for the construction of houses, restoration of infrastructure, and for restoration the of the irrigation system.
A report says the floods have destroyed 3,132 villages, 5.2 million acres irrigated land, 8.2 million people are displaced and 51 people lost their lives in the province. Meanwhile, Secretary Health Punjab Fawad Hassan Fawad while presiding over a departmental meeting, which reviewed the health facilities being extended to the flood affectees, said that maximum health facilities are being provided to the flood affectees of Sargodha, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bhakkar, Rahim Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan districts and Punjab Health Department is catering to the medical needs of the calamity-stricken people through its medical camps and mobile teams.
The meeting was informed that effective measures are being taken to control outbreak of malaria and other viral diseases in the flood-hit areas while anti-mosquito spray and fogging has been started at a large scale. The meeting was further informed that 77 trucks of medicines have been sent to the affected areas while more than 1.38 million patients have been provided medical treatment so far. Similarly, 1.88 million packets of ORS have been distributed.
Moreover, the process of distribution of special food for pregnant women and infants is in progress. The meeting was further informed that blood screening and vaccination of women and children is being carried out and more than 160,000 persons have been vaccinated against various diseases.
Director General Health Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry is in Dera Ghazi Khan to monitor provision of medical facilities to the people and supervising other activities and is visiting the affected districts. Secretary Health appreciated the spirit of service of doctor and paramedical staff and directed that relief activities should continue with the same zeal so as to mitigate the sufferings of the flood victims.
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