Senior Minister Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb announced a two-pronged strategy on Wednesday, with immediate flood relief and community relocation, alongside long-term rehabilitation plans, including technology-based mapping for critical zones and rebuilding homes and livelihoods.
While in an exclusive conversation with a local news channel, Marriyum Aurangzeb described the unprecedented and historic flood situation Punjab is currently facing, adding, rescue operations are ongoing, with efforts focused on providing essential relief, including slippers, medicines, mobile mother-child health clinic vans, clean drinking water and nutrition-based food.
She further added that the next priority is rehabilitation, with a particular focus on mapping critical zones around the Ravi and Chenab rivers, adding, this mapping will play a crucial role in identifying vulnerable areas and ensuring that future disaster management is more effective and efficient.
She assured that the Chief Minister is fully supporting the district administration in this effort. The CM is actively involved in overseeing technology-based mapping and the identification of vulnerable areas, particularly those along river belts. Additionally, efforts are underway to relocate communities from these high-risk zones to safer areas.
She further emphasized that dams are essential for water storage, playing a crucial role in managing floods, adding, an immediate ban on the auction of trees in the province, stating that this decision is a vital step toward protecting the environment and combating climate change.
She also mentioned that wildlife teams are actively rescuing animals affected by the floods.
Moreover, she highlighted the focus on strengthening infrastructure resilience to better prepare for future flood crises.
Minister also assured that the Chief Minister is already working on both short- and long-term strategies to effectively address flood situations in the coming years.
Responding a query, she stated that after providing relief, rehabilitation remains a significant challenge and to tackle this, she emphasized that proper SOPs are being implemented, along with a transparent system powered by technology, to ensure effective and accountable rehabilitation efforts.
To another query, she mentioned that around 13 lakh people have been evacuated, and approximately 8 lakh livestock have been safely relocated. She also urged all affected communities to cooperate and move to the relief camps, where they are being provided with essential facilities and support.