RAJANPUR/LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday declared that the Punjab government will not allow anyone to usurp the rights of any flood victim, saying the PTI-PML-Q government will go all-out to compensate damages caused by floods to crops and houses across the province.
“Today i inspected all the flood-affected areas of Rajanpur and DG Khan. And the PDMA and all line departments will start immediate work for short-term and long-term rehabilitation of the affected people and infrastructure”, the Punjab CM told media in Rajanpur after visit to all flood-affected area.
The CM announced declaring all the flood-affected areas as calamity-hit, adding that waterways of hill torrents would be channelized to avoid recurrence of floods in future.
Pervaiz Elahi visited the flood-hit areas of Rajanpur and DG Khan and inspected relief activities. The Punjab CM also distributed financial aid cheques worth Rs0.8 million each to each family of the people who lost lives during flood. He directed all-out help for the flood-affected people and offered fateha for the departed souls.
The Punjab CM recalled that during floods in 2004 he was the Punjab chief minister, Khawaja Sahib brought him to the region. “At that time, I planned to channelize natural waterways of hill torrents and allocated Rs2.5 billion for the purpose. At that time, dollar was worth Rs60 but later Shehbaz Sharif did nothing for this project when he was chief minister”, Pervaiz Elahi regretted. He lamented that Shehbaz Sharif wasted 15 years, which increased cost of the project enormously. “Shehbaz Sharif kept on making tall claims but did nothing for the poor,” he criticized.
Earlier, the Punjab chief minister visited the rescue operation center in Shahpur area of Rajanpur and held a meeting with the flood victims besides inspecting relief activities.
Talking on the occasion, the CM asserted that the Punjab government shares the sufferings the flood-affectees and would spare no effort for their early recovery. “The people facing troubles would not be left alone”, he assured and added that the government has set up medical camps where flood victims are being vaccinated against epidemics.
Similarly, he added that the families of each of the deceased persons are being provided with financial assistance worth Rs0.8 million. “I assure you that the government will continue taking every possible measure to help the flood victims.”
Various lawmakers and political leaders including: Nasrullah Dareshak, Hasnain Bahadur Dareshak, Mohsin Leghari, Farooq Amanullah Dareshak, Owais Khan Dareshak, commissioner, RPO DG Khan and others were present. The CM also visited the Chhatani area of Taunsa and met the families of flood victims. He offered condolence to the bereaved families and assured them of all-out help.
The CM declared that all the flood affectees would be served without caring for any political affiliation and their hearts will be won. Similarly, the survey will be carried out in a transparent manner to assess to damages, he added.
Pervaiz Elahi said that all MNAs and MPAs here were his colleagues and they are engaged in serving the affected people in the flood-hit areas. The CM ordered to immediately start development work from allocated Rs20 billion in affected areas and announced investigation into inundation of Shadan Lund food centre and wheat stock.
On the occasion, the DG Khan Commissioner informed that relief camps have been set up and food is being provided to the affectees besides their vaccination.
Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari, Kh Sheraz Mahmood, Muhammad Hanif Pitafi, Kh Daud Sulemani, Sardar Saifuddin Khan Khosa, Javed Akhtar Lund, Sardar Mohyuddin Khan Khosa and others were also present.
Earlier, CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi took an aerial visit of the flood-affected areas of Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan after conducting a ground visit. The irrigation secretary briefed him about the relief activities. The CM directed to speed up the relief activities, adding that supply of food items should be continued to the affected population while ensuring every possible help to the people in need.
Earlier, CM Pervaiz Elahi took a briefing onboard the plane while leaving for a visit to the flood-hit areas of south Punjab. He was apprised of the medical camps and relief activities in affected areas.
