‘Situation in Hyderabad division under control after first monsoon spell’

HYDERABAD: Sindh Rehabilitation Minister Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman on Saturday said that after receiving the first monsoon spell, the situation is under control. He pointed out that during the first spell, six deaths occurred in Hyderabad Division.

During a meeting he chaired at Shahbaz Hall, Zaman said that the first monsoon spell passed well. “We held many meetings in this regard. The performance of the administrations of Sukkur, Hyderabad and other cities of Sindh was commendable.”

The minister said the administrations cleaned the storm water drains before monsoon. He ordered that repair work on all the embankments of the Indus River should be completed soon.

He said that for estimating the loss of lives and the damage to houses during the first monsoon spell, a joint survey should be conducted, and based on its report, a decision on compensation would be made.

Zaman said encroachments hampering the natural flow of water should be removed. He said the repair and maintenance of some enhancements of drains and dams comes under Wapda’s domain.

He also said that these issues have been put before the prime minister, but Wapda is yet to demonstrate any seriousness. There are encroachments on some banks, including the Dadu Main FP bank, and there are some sensitive points that need to be taken care of, he added.

Hyderabad Commissioner Bilal Memon said that this time the local administration is preparing for the expected rains while keeping in mind the floods of the 2022 monsoon season.

Memon said the FP bank’s condition is better, adding that water has been flowing down from the MNV drain. Hesco has some issues, but this time they are trying hard to resolve the problems, he added.

He said that in the first monsoon spell, Hyderabad Division received an average of 31mm of rain, and the highest amount of rain, over 100mm, fell in Johi. Six deaths occurred due to the rains: two in Hyderabad and four in Jamshoro, while some animals also died, he added.

The commissioner said that 298 urban flood sensitive points have been identified in the division, while 241 medical camps, 78 for livestock, and 837 camps of food and shelter have been proposed in the division.

The PDMA director general said that some moveable machinery has been provided to the deputy commissioners. “If there is more demand, more machinery will be provided.”

The irrigation chief engineer said that 10 points are sensitive on the MS embankment, the Sarjani and Munarki embankments, and in District Jamshoro, but stone pitching has been done there. He said development work on the Hajipur Bank Tando Muhammad Khan is under way.

The Hyderabad DC said that machinery has been kept for 174 sensitive points in Hyderabad city where rainwater accumulated. He said Qasimabad and Latifabad are historically sensitive points if the Indus water flow crosses 400,000 cusecs.

He pointed out that currently it is under 100,000 cusecs, but machinery has still been brought there, while patrolling is also under way there to deal with any situation.

Talking to the media later, Rehabilitation Minister Zaman said that the first monsoon spell has been received, and it has been reviewed. He said that briefings have been received from all the departments.

Six deaths occurred during the first spell, and 13 houses were damaged in a Jamshoro village, he added. “We have empowered the DDMA to issue warnings, and have also given them funds.”

Answering a question, he said that the construction of the houses of the flood victims of 2022 is being carried out with World Bank funding, while international donors helped a lot during the 2022 rains. “We are grateful to them for that.”

Responding to a query regarding encroachments, he said the forest department has removed encroachments from the river. Regarding monsoon rains, he said that there is no emergency situation yet.

During the press briefing, Commissioner Memon told the media that Section 144 is being implemented against encroachments, following which action would be initiated against all the violators.