Federal Minister for Water and Power, Syed Naveed Qamar has asked all the provinces to expedite restoration and reconstruction plans of flood affected areas and complete the priority works before 15th June 2011 in order to ensure safety in the coming flood season. He also asked them to submit weekly progress report of restoration work and directed Federal Flood Commission to monitor the rehabilitation activities of the provinces.
He made these observations while presiding over the pre-flood Inter-provincial meeting of the Federal Flood Commission held here today and to review the restoration and repair of irrigation system of flood affected. The meeting was attended by Secretary of the Ministry, DG Met Office, Provincial irrigation secretaries, representatives from NDMA, Army Engineering Corps, Wapda, Planning Commission, Communication division and senior officials of the Federal Flood Commission.
Qamar asked to complete the mid term restoration work well before the start of monsoon 2011 and long-term within 18 months. The Minister asked the provinces and federal line agencies to adopt pre-emptive measures as suggested by the Federal Flood Commission in order to avert possible damages in case of un-expected rainfalls and floods during next monsoon season 2011. They were also asked to mobilise all the resources to repair infrastructure, streamline the procedures and update the SOPs, work on war footing to ensure safety and face the floods in a much better state of preparedness. He said that he would himself visit all the four provinces to review the restoration and reconstruction work done by the provinces.
Earlier, the meeting was informed that Punjab, KPK and Sindh have completed immediate restoration work while Balochistan has completed only canal system restoration work. DG Met Office briefed the meeting on the flood forecasting plan and setting up of new modern system for future. Exact forecast for monsoon season will be in the first week of June, he added. Representative of NDMA stated that two Radars are being set up in Badin and Quetta while community based disaster risk management plan is being finalised in 50 districts.-PR