Maryam vows flood protection measures in a year

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has vowed to take measures within a year to ensure that if floods occur next year, they will not cause loss of life or property. Speaking in the Geo programme Naya Pakistan, she said that extraordinary rescue preparations and the early warning system had averted major damage this year. She said thousands of lives were saved through timely evacuation from flood-affected areas. She added that this was the first flood during her tenure as chief minister, and that she had directed the NDMA, PDMA, and her entire team to prepare a comprehensive plan to tackle future floods. “We will do whatever is necessary, including the construction of new dams and reservoirs,” she said.

Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, replying to a question in the same programme, said that societies cannot be approved in riverbeds under the law, adding that he doubted if any such society had been approved. However, he said the provincial government had decided to demolish if any housing society had been built on waterways. He clarified that no compensation would be given for damages to houses constructed in riverbeds.

He said that the government had taken three major steps to prevent future floods. “Sixty cities have been identified for protection against urban flooding; encroachments from waterways are being removed to improve water storage, and protective structures will be built to safeguard vulnerable populations. The chief minister has directed that this work be expedited,” he added.