Caretaker Punjab Minister for Irrigation Qaiser Zulfikar Khan has directed the staff and officers of the Punjab Irrigation department to spend their maximum time in field to ensure better take care of canals and spurs avoiding any possible damages by flood.
These directives were issued by him while presiding over a meeting in the Irrigation Department on Friday convened to review the preparations of any possible flood and its damages. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Irrigation Punjab Captain Zahid Saeed (Retd), Additional Secretary (Technical) Muhammad Khalid Qureshi and other related officers of the department.
During the briefing to the provincial minister, it was disclosed that a flood plan had been devised to meet the challenges of any possible flood during the coming monsoon season. All the zonal chief engineers have been directed to complete survey of all the canals, spurs and bunds within one month and ensure repair at the earliest wherever it is essential.
The minister was informed that the survey of flood affected areas of South Punjab had already been completed and work on a line of action to save the local population from possible flood damages had also been started. The Punjab Minister expressed his satisfaction over the steps being taken by the provincial irrigation department said that repair work should be expedited and a co-ordinated strategy should be prepared to save Southern Punjab from flood. He also directed for preparing a plan to save district Dera Ghazi Khan from water of Sindh river in case of flood.
It was informed that a flood warning center would be function by June 15 and work 24 hours a day till the end of flood season. Punjab Irrigation Minister Qaiser Zulfikar Khan directed all the officers to monitor the repair of bunds and spurs and pay special attention to this task.