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Monday, October 31, 2011

Zardari for devising plans for storage, drainage of water

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari, on Sunday, advised the government to devise separate water storage and drainage plans at divisional level throughout Sindh.

He was presiding over a meeting here at Bilawal House on irrigation, de-watering and drainage of floodwater from the affected areas. The president also called for devising a plan for diverting and storing flood and rainwater 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 Farooqi and provincial secretaries were also present in the meeting.

Earlier, in their briefings, WAPDA and provincial Irrigation Department informed that 80 percent of the floodwater had been drained from all inundated areas of the province while the remaining water was being flushed out round the clock.

Foreign consultant Louis Berger gave a presentation on the drainage plan for dealing with similar calamities in future, and also submitted a plan for enhancing capacity of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD).

Zardari called upon WAPDA and provincial authorities to accord high priority to the drainage of stagnant water from flood-affected areas of the province in the wake of upcoming ‘Rabi Crop’ and fast approaching winter season.

The president was briefed on the implementation of his earlier directives and the steps taken for de-watering of the stagnant water from various flood-hit localities of the province. The president stressed the need for drawing up a permanent drainage plan in the country, which he said would reduce flood damage as incessant rains and consequential floods might recur due to climatic change. The president issued directives for devising a mechanism for early provision of wheat seed to the farmers of affected areas soon after de-watering was completed. “Any delay will not only adversely affect the farmers, but also reduce national crop productivity,” he added. app

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

 

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