Bahawalpur, DG Khan Divisions: Punjab chief minister sets up committee to assess losses caused by rains

Punjab Chief Minister on Saturday has constituted a 14-member committee headed by Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan for assessing the financial and human losses due to rains in Bahawalpur and DG Khan Divisions and payment of suitable financial assistance and compensation to the affectees.
The committee will submit its recommendations within a week to the Chief Minister. After that affected villages will be declared calamity-hit areas for providing financial assistance and rehabilitation of affectees, agri-income tax, water rate and waiving of Abiyana.
This committee will submit its recommendations for the harvesting of next crop for affected farmers having 12.5 acres of land whereas a report will also be prepared for providing health facilities. The first meeting of this committee was held under the chairmanship of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan at Punjab Assembly.
The members of the committee were told that a comprehensive survey of flood stricken areas of Rajanpur and DG Khan would be carried out and information regarding losses at urban and rural level would be collected. The committee will formulate separate report about the losses at urban and rural areas with the help of administration of affected areas so that these could be declared calamity-hit.
He said free seed would be provided to the farmers having upto 12.5 acres of land. The committee was informed that federal government would be stressed to immediately complete the project of Kachi Canal at DG Khan as the contractors had created hurdles in the flow of water in DG Canal by constructing small dams which caused flood.
The committee was also informed about the relief activities in flood-hit areas and told that 63,770 ration packs, 35,000 rice bags of 20-kg each, 37,000 flour bags, 7,000 tents and 45,000 mineral water bottles had been distributed. Mobile dispensaries of Health department are providing medical facilities to the affectees and the medicines are available in abundance. Livestock Department has set up 32 camps where veterinary officers and staff comprising 132 persons are performing their duties for provision of medicines and vaccination of cattle. Earlier, the meeting decided that Rs 300 million should be provided immediately to the Irrigation Department so that the spurs and dykes of canals could be repaired.