MUZAFFARGARH
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that initial estimates of losses to government infrastructure including roads, schools and health centres amounted to Rs10 billion and promised to start payment of compensation to flood affectees before Eidul Azha.
“The losses caused to private property will be estimated after sometime, but it is expected to run into several billions of rupees.”
The chief minister was addressing gatherings of flood affected people here at Share Sultan and Seetpur, Tehsil Alipur of Muzaffargarh district.
Meanwhile, DCO Hafiz Shaukat Ali told to the mediamen that dozens of settlements in Thatta Sial, Muradabad and Bhuttapur including Muzaffargarh had submerged in floodwater whereas the rupture of Shoria Canal dyke at Shekhani in Dera Ghazi Khan resulted in the inundation of a vast area. Meanwhile, the Army troops rescued 2,700 stranded people in flood affected area of Alipur Tehsil of district Muzaffargarh while thirty boats and two helicopters were utilised for evacuation people to safer places.
The DCO said that road communication between Multan-Muzaffargarh and Jhang-Multan-Muzaffargarh would be restored in a couple of days and these roads would be opened for heavy traffic within a week.
Meanwhile, an ISPR press release said that the Army set up a medical camp and distributed 700 kg of ration to the affected people. It said that in Punjab, 21 tonnes of ration was carried through 13 flights of the helicopter of Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif for the flood affectees. For this purpose, the helicopter flew continuously for seven hours and carried the food items for the flood affectees in the areas including Head Muhammadwala, Sher Shah and Shujaabad. To assist flood affected people, donation camps have also been established by Pakistan Army at Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan and Karachi. At Rawalpindi relief donation points have been established at following locations.
Khangarh (Muzaffargarh), Alipur, Shehr Sultan, Dummerwala of Alipur sub-division have also submerged in floodwater. Shehr Sultan city on the other hand got hit by flood due to river erosion.
On the other hand, DPO Rai Zameerul Haq said that the police were engaged in rescue activities and security of VIPs who were visiting Alipur Tehsil and other flood hit areas.
He said that the police kept on monitoring the situation to intact the law and order and check the criminals activities.
Meanwhile, head of Punjab committee set up to oversee flood relief operation, Shuja Khanzada claimed that rescue and relief operations had been efficiently carried out in 21 flood-hit districts by the provincial government, army, NGOs and volunteers. He said that flood and rain had damaged 37,13houses and crops over 1,270 acres in 1,235 Punjab villages. Most of the 193 breaches had almost been plugged. The three major breaches in Multan and Muzaffargarh would be plugged over the next three to four days, he added.