Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed urgent steps for discharge of water from the flood-hit areas to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.

The prime minister issued the instructions during his day-long visit to the flood-hit areas of Sohbatpur and Khuzdar districts to review the arrangements of relief and rehabilitation.

PM Shehbaz proposed taking on board the water engineers and hydrologists to recommend suggestions in line with the post-flood studies. He feared that epidemics and communicable diseases could become a big challenge if the water took months to recede. He directed to ensure availability of drinking water among the flood-affected people. For next crop season, he said, arrangements for the distribution of seeds to locals were in progress.

He mentioned that Rs 5 billion had been disbursed among the flood victims of Balochistan under the Benazir Income Support Programme, as each household was given Rs 25,000 to meet their needs. The prime minister said to facilitate the flood-struck population, the government had exempted charging of 300 units in electricity bills during August and September.

The Balochistan chief secretary briefed the prime minister about the ongoing relief and rehabilitation activities carried out in the flood-hit areas of the province.

He highlighted that a model school, as per the direction of the prime minister, would be built soon in Sohbatpur. PM Shehbaz Sharif, during his previous visit to Sohbatpur, had assured the students at a makeshift school that the government would soon construct a model school equipped with modern facilities.

The chief secretary said heavy machinery was at work in five districts of Balochistan to rebuild infrastructure and clear pathways damaged by the floods. It was told that regular sprays were being carried out to contain any possibility of epidemics in the flood-affected areas.

Earlier, Shehbaz Sharif took an aerial view of the inundated areas of Balochistan and Sindh.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday visited the residence of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) chief Nawab Akhtar Jan Mengal in Wadh area of Khuzdar district, where he offered condolences on the death of his uncle Sardarzada Mehrullah Mengal. The prime minister offered fateha for the departed soul of Sardar Mehrullah Mengal and prayed for the patience of the bereaved.

Federal Minister Agha Hassan Baloch, senior government officials, and tribal elders were present.