Bilawal assures flood victims of good care

LARKANA: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed the provincial government to ensure disposal of rainwater from the main roads, streets and houses of the people to enable them to at least move easily and then start rehabilitation works such as repair of houses, drainage and roads.

This was he said while presiding over a high level meeting at DC office on Monday. The meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial minister Imtiaz Shaikh, Nasir Shah, Mukesh Chalwla, Advisor Rehabilitation Rasool Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Commissioner Larkana Ganhwar Leghari, DC Larkana Tariq Manzoor Chandio and other concerned officers.

The PPP chairman was told that during three spells of heavy rain Larkana district received heavy rains which claimed 26 lives and injured 367. The district administration has set up 290 relief camps where 28,500 people have been shifted.

The meeting was informed that almost 90 percent standing crops of rice has been washed away and thousands of houses have been damaged in urban and rural areas for which survey was being conducted. The rain water has submerged almost the entire Larkana city and its taluka.

The chief minister said that water has accumulated in the houses of people. He added that the initial relief would be disposal of water from their home for which district administration along with Public health and local government departments start it immediately.

Shah said that the Rice Canal was passing through the centre of the city, therefore rainwater should be disposed of into it through pumping machines. “We are planning construction of a storm water drain in the city for which experts would be consulted,” he said.

The PPP chairman was told that the rainwater after being accumulated on the streets in Ratodero, Dokri and Bakrani towns was now gushing into the houses which has to be disposed of through machinery. At this Bilawal directed the administration to procure the machinery and dispose of the water. He directed the district administration to improve hygiene at relief camps, provide them food and clean water, electricity and mosquito nets so that they live there safe and sound, otherwise we would have to fight against the viral diseases.

Earlier, the PPP chairman just after landing at Begum Nusrat Bhutto Airport Sukkur drove directly to Larkana along with the chief minister and visited a relief camp at Technical College where rain-affected people of different areas were settled.

The PPP chairman met with people and assured them that they would be looked after properly. Bilawal assured flood-hit people of their good care. “We have rescued you in the first phase and then rehabilitate you in a decent way,” he told them.

While going to DC office for briefing, he stepped down from his vehicle when he saw a crowd of people had gathered to talk to him. Bilawal mixed with them, console them and assured them that their government would not leave them alone. The affected people after meeting with PPP chairman forgot their pains for a while and saw him off to his vehicle with voicing slogans of Jeay Bhutto.