President orders plans for water storage

KARACHI (APP) - President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday advised the government to devise separate water storage and drainage plans at divisional level throughout the Sindh province. He was presiding over a meeting held here at Bilawal House on irrigation, de-watering and draining of flood water from affected areas. The President also called for devising a plan for diverting and storing flood and rain water in desert areas of the province to use it for drinking and irrigation purposes. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Water and Power Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain, provincial ministers Murad Ali Shah, Sharjeel Memon and Saifullah Dharejo, Secretary General to President Salman Farooqui and provincial secretaries were also present in the meeting. Earlier, in their briefings, WAPDA and provincial Irrigation Department informed that 80 per cent of the flood water has been drained out from all inundated areas of the province and remaining water was being flushed out round the clock. Foreign consultant Louis Berger gave a presentation on drainage plan for dealing similar calamities in future and also submitted a plan for enhancing capacity of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD). President Asif Ali Zardari called upon WAPDA and provincial authorities to accord high priority for early completion of draining of stagnant water from the flood affected areas of the province in the wake of upcoming 'Rabi Crop' and fast approaching winter season. The President was briefed about the implementation of his earlier directives and the steps taken for de-watering of the stagnant water from various affected localities of the province. The President stressed the need for making a permanent drainage plan in the country, which he said would reduce flood damage as incessant rains and consequential floods may recur due to climatic change. The President directed that soon after de-watering was completed, a mechanism be devised for early provision of wheat seed to affected areas, to enable the farmers to sow wheat crop. Any delay would not only gravely affect the farmers but would also reduce national crop productivity, he added.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt