All rivers in Punjab are normal and the flow of water in river Chenab at Punjnad is 3, 50,000 cusecs which will further reduce to 2, 80 000 cusecs within next 12 hours. The repair work of breaches made in the dykes will be completed within next 24 hours. Rehabilitation work in the affected districts is continuing and the assessment of losses had begun by the committees headed by DCOs.
This was stated at a press conference on Wednesday jointly addressed by Chairman Cabinet Committee on Flood Relief Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd), Punjab Minister for Food Bilal Yasin and the spokesman for Punjab government Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri. Relief Commissioner Nadeem Ashraf and officers of different departments also present on the occasion.
Zaeem Hussain Qadri said that rescue operation has been completed in Sialkot, Mandi Bahaduddin, Gujranwala and Hafizabad. He said that according to Planning and Development Department, floodwater has caused loss of more than 10 billion rupees to infrastructure. He said the Punjab government has no shortage of resources and food. He said that 274 persons were killed in rains and flood and cheques of financial assistance for Rs 16 lakh each have been paid to the heirs of 80 percent deceased persons.
Shuja Khanzada said that besides Punjab government, Army, Navy, Air Force, NGOs, male and female students took part in rescue operation in 21 districts. He said that breaches were made in the dykes at 193 places and repair work had been started which will be completed within next 28 hours. He said that Chief Minister Relief Fund has been set up for the assistance of flood affected people and members of the provincial cabinet, assembly of PML-N will donate their one month salary. Similarly, officers from grade 16 to 22 will give their three days salary while government servants of grade 1-15 will donate their one day pay. He further told that 1, 37, 000 houses were damaged by the flood while 2,847 villages were affected. Similarly, crops have been destroyed over 2.38 million acres. He said the assessment of losses is being made with the help of the Suparco.
Punjab Minister for Food Bilal Yasin said that tents are being distributed among flood affected people while cooked foods are also being supplied to relief camps. He said that 366 mobile teams of Health Department and 566 medical camps have extended treatment facilities to 1, 61, 000 patients.