Torrential rains leave 3 million affected, says CM Sindh

HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said on Monday that more than three million people have been displaced or affected due to torrential rains in Sindh adding that farming community was worst affected among them.

He said that after providing shelter, food and health facilities to rain victims, reclamation of agricultural land by draining out stagnant water is the priority of Sindh government. The Chief Minister said this while addressing a news conference and meeting the workers of Pakistan Peoples party at Tando Muhammad Khan.

The Chief Minister accompanied by Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Sindh Minister for Rehabilitation Muzaffar Shujra visited different parts of Tando Muhammad Khan to review the rain losses and meet the rain victims and notables. He said that remission of land tax, water charges has been given to the farming community of calamity hit areas and recovery of provincial loans has also been postponed. Besides, he said that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani during his visit to the rain affected areas had already announced to provide Watan Card to the rain victims and wave off interest on the loans given by Federal government's institutions. In addition to that, the Chief Minister said that his government is planning not only to reclaim the farm land by de-watering but also to provide soft loans to the farmers enabling them to cultivate their next crops and stand on their own feet.

He said that he visited different areas of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas Divisions where torrential rain has caused heavy devastation and added that situation of other divisions in Sindh was not different. He said that though the survey of losses has been ordered and it is to be completed in due course of time but presently according to rough estimate more than three million people have been affected. He said that this figure of affected people and losses to public and private structures may go beyond the present estimate.

He said that only in Tando Muhammad Khan at least 2,50,000 people and 50,000 families have been affected as such Tando Muhammad Khan has already been declared a calamity affected district. He said that during last year flood, Federal and Sindh governments had provided Rs.20 billion to seven million flood victims under matching grant formula and now both tiers of the government would provide Rs.20 000 to each rain affected family in Sindh.Referring to the presentation of the District Coordination Officer Tando Muhammad Khan Syed Barkat Ahmed Rizvi, the Chief Minister announced Rs.20 million as additional grant for relief work in the district and said that Rs.30 million has already been provided to District Administration.

He also asked PDMA to provide 10,000 tents and medicines to the District Administration TMK and directed the authorities to bring the rain victims into relief camps that were sitting on the road side or provide them full assistance in all sense at the site where they are willing to reside. He also asked the officers to put up PC-I for laying efficient drainage system in Tando Muhammad Khan City. He informed that the government has declared current financial year as the year of development and hopefully after de-watering of the under water areas development schemes would be introduced and executed.

Referring to a question about over flow of drainage network, the Chief Minister said that the menace of encroachment over the drainage system is main hurdle in the drainage flow. However, he said that efforts would be made to remove encroachment and de-silt the drainage system to avoid any adverse affects on the farm land.

Earlier, the DCO Tando Muhammad Khan Syed Barkat Rizvi briefed the Sindh Chief Minister about rain related losses in the district and said that District Tando Muhammad Khan has received total rainfall up to 457 mm in different spell of monsoon.He said that these torrential rains has displaced 2,50,000 people comprising on 50,000 families. Besides, it played havoc destroying 1 hundred perents of standing cotton crops 85 percent paddy / rice crops. He said as many as 1555 villages have been affected where 24200 houses have been fully damaged and 26,600 houses partially damaged. He informed that 70 relief camps have been established where 8419 people have been encamped that are being provided relief goods and health facilities. He said that there are thousands of people who are still shelterless and reluctant to be shifted in camps due to their cattle and other valuables items.

Sindh Chief Minister visited medical camp and relief camp of rain victims where he inquired about the health and other facilities being provided to the victims. He also presented relief goods to the encamped rain victims and assured them that neither Sindh government nor PPP leave them alone in this difficult time.Later, the Chief Minister visited village Jinhan Soomro, condoled with MPA Abdul Karim Soomro on demise of his father Abdul Khaliq Soomro ex-MPA. He lauded the services of late Abdul Khaliq Soomro and termed him as assets of the PPP. He said that he was nominated life time Treasurer of the PPP Sindh Chapter on account of his services and honesty.

Talking to the media men on the occasion, he said that NADRA authority has been directed to expedite the issuance of Watan Card to the rain victims by which each affected family would be provided Rs.20,000/-. He said that PPP would not leave the poor people alone in difficult time and will compensate victims on account of their losses of lives and properties.