Areas submerged by floodwaters: there's no plan to drain out floodwater

Provincial authorities have failed in evolving comprehensive plan for draining out the floodwaters from the areas submerged by recent floods of Sindh, albeit President Zardari has given a deadline of December 31, 2010 for the purpose, Business Recorder learnt on Monday.
According to sources, President Zardari was of the view that the early draining of floodwater from submerged areas could expedite the process of rehabilitation of the affectees, which would also help in sowing Rabi crops. Therefore, he has given a deadline of December 31, 2010 to complete the task before the sowing of Rabi crops. However, the provincial authorities are lacking comprehensive plan to meet the said deadline, they said. They further said the authorities concerned had convened several meetings in this connection, but no outcome has so far been visible on ground as they have failed to get financial assistance from foreign donors due to mistrust.
Moreover, they said that Sindh government has so far arranged only 20 pumping machines, which were given to Jacobabad district to initiate the dewatering process of floodwater from submerged areas.
When contacted, senior officer of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), who did not want to be quoted, dispelled the impression that Sindh government has not yet evolved any plan for draining out floodwater from the submerged areas of Sindh. He said the Sindh government had earlier given a four-month work-plan but it was rejected by the President by giving a deadline of December 31, 2010 to complete the said process.
To a question, he said the authorities had also planned to make artificial drains by rupturing several roads of submerged areas for draining out the floodwater but this cost-effective plan could not be practiced, owing to strong resistance shown by the landlords. Therefore, the authorities concerned are now hanging in the balance; either its work-plan could be manageable in accordance with the present circumstances or there is a need to evolve any new strategy for the purpose, he said.