CM Mahmood Khan visits flood-hit areas in Swat

MINGORA: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday visited various flood-affected areas, including Madyan, Bahrain, Teerat and Bishigram in Swat district, and assessed flood destructions in these valleys.

The chief minister also met with the relatives of the aggrieved families, and offered fateha for the departed

souls. Talking to reporters at a hotel in Madyan, the chief minister said that compensatory cheques had been distributed among the relatives of the deceased.

“Our teams are busy in collecting data, and assessment to know the exact situation of damage in the area. We are determined to compensate every household, affected due to the flood,” said Mahmood Khan, adding, all link roads were opened and electricity was restored in flood-affected areas within 24 hours.

He said that his government was taking drastic steps to cope with floods in the future.

“If the flood level is high, it is always difficult to control damage; however, to minimise the damage we are focusing on planting maximum plants and taking action against encroachment on the riverside,” the chief minister maintained.

He claimed that Rescue 1122, Pesco, and district administration had played a heroic role in providing facilities to the citizens during the hard time.

He issued directives to Commissioner, Malakand Division, Zaheer-ul-Islam to take stern action against the owners of encroached buildings under the river protection act.

He said that no compensation would be provided to the damaged buildings built in the prohibited areas. The chief minister added that his government was working to boost tourism and create employment opportunities for the youth of the region. “Malakand and Hazara divisions are rich in natural beauties. We are also exploring new tourist spots in these two regions, to attract local and foreign tourists,” he maintained.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Swat Saqib Raza Aslam gave a detailed briefing to the chief minister about the damage done by the flood.

Our correspondent from NOWSHERA adds: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday paid the expenses for the treatment of a poor child from the Nowshera district.

The four-year-old child, Muhammad Meraj, son of Akbar Hussain, a poor resident of Aman Garh town of the district, was suffering from a heart disease since his birth. His father, who works at an electronics shop, had spent on his treatment whatever he had from his limited resources and could not afford the further treatment cost.

The hapless resident had appealed to the chief minister and other public representatives for footing the expenses of his son’s treatment. The chief minister took notice of the case and summoned the ailing child and his father to the Chief Minister’s House.

The child asked Mahmood Khan that he wanted to live and needs treatment for that. The chief minister provided Rs 175,000 cash help to the family. He directed Dr Ejaz Hussain of the Cardiology Department and hospital director of the Lady Reading Hospital to treat the patient as early as possible. The poor family thanked the chief minister for the help.