LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had directed the relevant departments to prepare a relief plan in advance while keeping in mind the forecast of unusual rains.
Punjab Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb Maryam Aurangzeb expressed these views during her visit to visits to Qurtaba Chowk, Supreme Court Registry, Laxmi Chowk, Gulberg, Bhati Chowk, Gaddafi Stadium and other areas to assess the impact of heavy rains here on Thursday. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar accompanied her.
While talking to the media, she further said that joint teams of concerned departments and the Lahore district administration were working round the clock to drain out rainwater from inundated areas, adding that the people are requested to cooperate with these teams and they should not allow their children to play in rainwater. “Moreover, supply of medicines and vaccines for the treatment of venomous bites in hospitals have been ensured,” she added.
“We were continuously monitoring the situation and all relief work, including evacuating people from low-lying areas, was being ensured. Rainwater in hospitals was drained in record time and operations in other areas were in progress,” she said.
Commissioner Lahore Zaid bin Maqsood also visited the WASA head office and various parts of the city to review the rainwater removal operation. On this occasion, the WASA MD informed the Commissioner about the ongoing operation and arrangements for the drainage operation.
While talking to the media, the Commissioner appealed to the citizens that parents must not allow their children to bathe in rainwater, as there was a danger of an electric wire falling into the water, and the people must stay away from electricity poles. “LESCO has been mobilised and their teams are checking streets and intersections,” he added.
He also said that the rainwater drainage operation was in progress and instructions have been issued to the traffic police for maintaining traffic flow, adding that the WASA teams were working at full capacity in the field. “The district management was also present in the field and all resources were being utilised for the drainage of rainwater,” he added.
Moreover, District Commissioner Lahore Rafia Haider also inspected the water drainage operations in Barkat Market, Ghaziabad Disposal Stations, Lakshmi Chowk and Bhati Chowk. On this occasion, she ordered the officials concerned that no officer should go to their office or home until the water drainage operation was completed, adding that the LWMC employees should not be negligent in cleanliness and sanitation.
She emphasised that rainwater should not be allowed to accumulate at any point in the city and that it should be drained on a priority basis, adding that the Assistant commissioners were supervising the drainage of water from underpasses and low-lying areas. “Civil Defence personnel are active in the field to maintain traffic flow and rainwater is being drained from low-lying and souring points on a priority basis,” she added.
She averred that due to heavy rain in the city, emergency camps of the Lahore Municipal Corporation have been activated; officers were visiting these camps to monitor the situation. She said that the presence of staff in all camps was being ensured and immediate actions were being taken to address public complaints.
Meanwhile, on the instructions of the DC, over 300 Civil Defense personnel were spread across the city, busy helping citizens stranded in the rain. They rescued vehicles and motorcycles stuck in the water.
Moreover, Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq along with LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed inspected a sinkhole, caused by the heavy rains, at the main boulevard of Khayaban-e-Firdousi near Shadiwal Chowk. On this occasion, the LDA DG instructed the WASA and the LDA to start work immediately on the sinkhole.
He averred that the 30-year-old sewerage system would be replaced from Shauq Chowk to Shaukat Khanum Hospital this year and a scheme for this has been included in the Annual Development Programme. “The construction of the new sewerage system will begin right after the monsoon season,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.