News
Monday, September 06, 2010
Gilani pledges all-out help for flood victims* PM says Sindh flood victims suffered after ignoring calls to leave homes
* CCI to decide modalities of aid distribution, prepare rehabilitation strategy
By Masroor Afzal Pasha
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that the meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) would decide the modalities of distribution of aid to the flood victims and prepare a rehabilitation plan.
Talking to reporters at the Sindh Chief Minister’s House after a special meeting of the provincial cabinet jointly presided over by him and President Asif Ali Zardari, Gilani said that the meeting had decided to improve coordination among various agencies and departments of the federal and provincial governments engaged in flood relief activities. He said that the government was committed to helping the flood victims and would use all resources at its disposal for this purpose. “We have frozen our development budget to last year’s level to make resources available for flood victims’ help,” he said.
Responding to a question about payment of Rs 20,000 to flood victims, Gilani said that the CCI would decide whether to disburse the money before or after Eidul Fitr. He said the meeting had briefed him and the president about the devastation caused by the unprecedented floods in Sindh. “I had also received a briefing during my visit to Sukkur and Kotri barrages,” he added.
Stressing that compared to other provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had suffered most in terms of loss of life, the prime minister said people in Sindh had suffered due to their decision against leaving their homes despite announcements by the government and local authorities. He said the federal government and its institutions, including the navy and air force, had done a wonderful job in rescue and relief work.
Responding to a question, he reiterated the need to hold an inquiry into breaches in protective embankments that had developed on their own or made by people. The prime minister said that rehabilitation work would be started as soon as floodwater receded. He called for concerted efforts to help mitigate the problems of the flood victims and emphasised on maintenance of law and order situation in Sindh.
A 200-bed mobile hospital donated by the Saudi Arabian government had been deployed in Thatta, while a central drug unit had been established at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences under his supervision to provide medicines to all flood-affected areas of the country, Gilani said, adding aerial spray had been carried out in the flood-affected areas to prevent outbreak of various diseases.
Earlier, in the cabinet meeting, officials of the Sindh Irrigation Department briefed President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani on the damages and devastation caused by the floods in the province. Contradicting ground realities, the officials claimed that no dyke had been breached deliberately. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presented a comprehensive road map for the rehabilitation of flood victims and gave a detailed briefing on the post-flood situation in Sindh.
The President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting had resolved to use modern technology, including satellite imaging and web-based information system to keep a track of aid received and its distribution. The chief minister and federal ministers, including Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Syed Naveed Qamar, were also present during the meeting. Prime Minister Gilani had earlier held a meeting with Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan at the Governor’s House. Official sources said the flood situation and relief and rehabilitation measures were discussed during the meetings.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk