Members of judicial commission constituted by Supreme Court on floods Friday visited Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to conduct field visit of the flood affected areas. The members were given detailed briefing by officials of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the irrigation department. The commission also conducted field visit in the flood-affected areas in Peshawar and Charsadda districts.
During the visit, the commission also met with people in flood affected areas. It was informed that due to unprecedented nature of floods, all the arrangements were unable to cope with it. However, the flood affectees informed the commission that its was high time now to take appropriate measures to minimise the damages of any future flooding and also to provide appropriate assistance to the affecteees to build back their properties and restart their normal life.
The commission visited the damaged Munda headwork. This headwork was completely washed away during the floods. Although the government is repairing and re-building this headwork, yet the local people desired that the long awaited Munda Dam should be given propriety. They informed the commission that had the Munda Dam been constructed as promised by successive governments no damage would have been caused to headwork during the floods.
The commission visited the other areas in district Charsadda and observed the devastation caused to the canal irrigation system. It was informed that due to encroachment the traditional waterways have been restricted which caused major flooding in the last year's floods. During their interaction with the farmers of the affected areas, it was highlighted that the electricity was not being regularly provided to lift irrigation pumps in certain areas.
The residents of Mamum Khattakay village complained to the commission that so far they had not been provided a single Watan Card by the authorities. The affectees of other areas also complained about malpractices in distribution of Watan Cards. They also informed the commission that major damage to their areas in Pabbi and Nowshera was caused by flooding due to choking of traditional drainage and natural waterways.
Floods affected people of Pabbi Town thanked Supreme Court of Pakistan for constituting the special Commission to listen their grievances. The commission members told the affectees that they would complete their report as desired by Supreme Court within stipulated time and every possible measures would be taken to provide them justice.