Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday ordered the concerned departments to make arrangements for immediate drainage of rainwater from all cities of the province during the upcoming monsoon season besides drawing up a plan to move people to safe locations in the event of floods. During her visit to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority’s (PDMA) head office, she also ordered the evacuation of animals from the flood-affected areas. The chief minister ordered the cleaning of all nullahs in the province. “Remove all encroachments from the banks of nullahs and streams,” CM Maryam directed.  She was given a detailed briefing by the secretary irrigation, chief meteorologist and the PDMA DG, in which she was told that normal to above normal rains had been forecast for different parts of the country during the three months of the rainy season, starting from July.  She expressed surprise that while elsewhere in the world there was an early flood warning system, same was not the case here in Pakistan. The chief minister also visited the PDMA’s central control room. Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, other provincial ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Kazim Pirzada, MPA Sania Ashiq, chief secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, PDMA DG Irfan Ali Kathia and other concerned officials were also present during the meeting.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan