Trillions of rupees were required to carry out relief & rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas: PM Shehbaz
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Sep 07 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif says the government is taking steps for rehabilitation of the flood affectees in coordination with all the relevant departments. The prime minister said trillions of rupees were required to carry out relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas, however vowed the entire process would be carried out in a transparent manner. He said that the government will not leave the flood affectees alone. PM Shehbaz Sharif said that he will not rest until and unless last family affected family from flood is rehabilitated at his home again, adding that he will fulfill his responsibilities.
He was addressing a ceremony after reviewing rehabilitation work of the flood-hit Saggu Bridge in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday. He said the government has increased the compensation amount from twenty-eight billion to seventy-billion rupees.
Shehbaz Sharif said so far, the government has transparently distributed twenty billion rupees through Benazir Income Support Program. He said the government has also decided to give one million rupees to each bereaved family of the people who died due to flood.
The Prime Minister directed the concerned authorities to ensure rehabilitation and reconstruction of highways, bridges and other infrastructure across the province without any discrimination.
He said the devastating floods have greatly affected the standing crops of cotton, rice and dates in Sindh and Balochistan. He said that the government will provide financial assistance to affected farmers.
The Prime Minister said no compromise will be made over the transparent distribution of the relief package. He emphasized on the construction of small dams in the country to combat the challenge of floods.
Shehbaz Sharif thanked the brotherly countries for provision of financial assistance and food packages in this critical time.
The Prime Minister hailed the efforts of PDMAs and other relevant departments for contributing willful rehabilitation of flood victims.
Shehbaz Sharif lauded Pakistan Army and local administration for their tireless efforts to rescue the people stuck due to floods.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said unprecedented floods in the country had caused heavy losses to lives and infrastructure and emphasized putting in place a sustainable system to cope with the challenges of climate change. The prime minister said trillions were required to carry out relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas, however vowed the entire process would be carried out in a transparent manner.
The prime minister said the country was grappling with an unprecedented flood situation that resulted in loss of lives, infrastructure and crops.
The prime minister said with the assistance provided by a philanthropist, the first 100 prefabricated houses having two rooms and a toilet would be built in Dera Ismail Khan to accommodate widows and orphans in first phase. He said the houses would be built in two weeks and he would personally visit the site to assess if the project could be replicated by the government in other parts of the country.
He recalled that during his previous visit to Tank and DI Khan after floods, the people were in the phase of rehabilitation till the floods hit them twice.
He lauded the politicians, local administration and armed forces for acting in unison while contributing their efforts for the rescue and rehabilitation of the affected people across the country.
The prime minister said it was the time to rise above politics and demonstrate the spirit of service and welfare for the people.
He said the government had ordered the purchase of 0.2 million tents with an aim to provide shelter to the homeless.
PM Sharif lauded the efforts of Communication Minister Maulana Asad ur Rehman and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for putting their efforts in pacing up the relief and rehabilitation activities in flood-hit areas.
In Swat, he regretted that violation of building hotels and resorts in the riverstream resulted in damages.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman thanked the prime minister for extending assistance to the people of flood-affected areas and acknowledged the services of local officials, army personnel and welfare organizations.
He said rehabilitation of displaced persons was the upcoming big challenge following the cumbersome task of rescue.
He stressed a sustainable solution to floods in the area including building of small dams like Tank Zam and Nawab Haider and also big dams like Gomal Zam dam.
Earlier, the prime minister was briefed about the damages incurred to people and infrastructure due to heavy floods.
The Deputy Commissioner DI Khan in his briefing said the heavy rains from August 17 to 27 wreaked havoc in the Dera Ismail Khan district with 70 percent of the population affected by the floods.
He said the hill torrents from west to east swept away a large area before falling into the Indus river and mentioned the challenges including permanent rehabilitation of people after their temporary shelter.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) official apprised the prime minister that the 600-kilometre long N-55 DI Khan-Razmak was restored in two days, while the N-35 Korakoram Highway up to Kuchal Nullah towards Kohistan was restored by Frontier Works Organization.
The prime minister also visited the Sago Bridge which had been swept away due to flash floods. He was informed that the Sago Bridge in the first torrential wave was restored within two days, however the work was in progress after the second hit by floods.