Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the first instalment of financial assistance will be paid without any discrimination to the heads of the flood affected families in the areas that have suffered losses of 40 percent or more before Eid-ul-Aza.
He was talking to flood affectees and addressing briefing meetings during his surprise visit to flood affected areas of Pind Dadan Khan and the nearby villages in Jhelum district on Monday, disclosed an official. The CM said it is for the first time in the history that compensation will be paid to the flood affected people for their losses without any delay and payments are being made in days and not in months. "Compensation to the flood-hit people in the second phase will be paid after survey of losses. All out help and assistance will be provided to distressed people and it will be ensured that all flood affectees are rehabilitated," he added.
He also inspected relief camps and mingled with the flood affectees and inquired about their problems. District administration gave a briefing to the Chief Minister during the visit. Addressing the briefing meeting and the flood affectees, he directed that rehabilitation activities for the devastated people should be carried out with a national spirit. He said the process of education in the educational institutions of the flood-hit areas should not be interrupted and alternative arrangements should be made for this purpose.
He further directed that free of cost tents be provided to the people whose houses have been destroyed. He also directed that process of repair and reconstruction of the roads affected by flood should be completed as early as possible and provision of potable water to the residents of the flood-hit areas should be ensured at any cost. He said the Punjab government will continue to provide all out resources for the provision of relief to the flood affectees. "A comprehensive strategy is also being evolved for minimising flood losses in future," he added.
According to him, recent flood was no doubt the worst in the history of Punjab and has caused losses of billions of rupees. He fully shares the grief of the persons who have lost their near and dear ones in the natural calamity. Flood has caused large scale devastation in 16 districts of Punjab; houses have been destroyed while crops and cattle have also been lost. However, the Punjab government, Pak army, district administration, police, Rescue-1122 and concerned institutions have performed their responsibilities with hard work and national spirit and saved thousands of lives. Rehabilitation work for the flood-hit people will also be undertaken with the same spirit.
He said the federal and Punjab governments are extending all out help to the devastated people. He said the affected roads are being rehabilitated and most of them have been opened for traffic. The Chief Minister was informed during the briefing that due to timely measures taken by the government, lives of 550 persons have been saved. It was further told that 175,000 cattle have been vaccinated. Thirteen persons were killed in flood and rains while 11 were injured. It was also informed that financial assistance of more Rs 20 million has been distributed among the families of the deceased persons as well as the injured.
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