Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik met with the Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi at CM Office on Saturday.
Head of Punjab Ehsaas Programme Dr Sania Nishtar participated via video link and gave a detailed briefing about the rehabilitation and aid programme of the flood victims.
On the occasion, the CM said that the Punjab government was going to undertake preventive measures in the wake of 7th Corona wave apprehension in Punjab. He added that a forewarning system to inform about floods, diseases and calamities would be installed, saying that early warning systems were being installed to provide prior indication of calamities at three places.
The CM maintained that the installation of early warning system would enable the concerned departments to take timely measures to save people, livestock, fields, properties etc from flood damages and destruction.
He apprised that rehabilitation work of the flood-affected people was ongoing expeditiously in Punjab. He highlighted that the Punjab government disbursed aid among the flood victims by its own resources and through the donations being collected by telethon. He informed that more than five billion rupees were being distributed among the flood victims and payments to 36 thousand affected families have been made, adding that financial assistance had also been provided to the flood victims to build their own houses.
The CM underscored that the Punjab government had ensured settlement of the flood victims using its own resources. He revealed that construction work of more than 55 thousand complete and partially destroyed houses was ongoing, saying that he reached Rajanpur first of all when the flood arrived in Punjab and himself oversaw relief activities. He highlighted that the Punjab government allocated rupees one billion to help the flood victims of Sindh. CM intimated that special arrangements were being made for the facilitation of tourists in Murree and at other tourist places during rain and snowfall. CM outlined that screening of passengers coming from abroad and especially from China would be done. NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that the rescue and relief plan of Punjab government during flood was laudable, adding that the Rescue 1122 institution performed highly appreciable and exemplary services during flood.
Lt General Inam Haider stated that to make a forecast prior to 30, 40 days about natural calamities was possible with the help of the latest technology. He said “Climate change is adopting a permanent feature and we will have to make ourselves prepared to effectively cope up with its hazardous effects.”
Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Captain (Retd) Asad Ullah Khan, Caretaker Senior Member Board of Revenue Naveed Shirazi, DG Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer, DG PDMA and officials concerned were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Parvez Elahi ordered special arrangements to maintain traffic flow at tourist sites, especially Murree, on the eve of New Year.
He directed to eliminate overcharging and selling substandard edibles in Murree. He directed the administration to strictly disallow vehicles exceeding a fixed number to enter on the routes going to Murree. CM directed that the administration and traffic officials should jointly ensure effective implementation of the traffic management plan.
The CM directed the senior police officers to themselves oversee traffic arrangements, adding that fixed parking fee boards should be displayed prominently so as to eliminate overcharging parking fee problems.
Moreover, the CM took notice of public complaints relating to overcharging and selling substandard edibles and ordered to redress public complaints forthwith. CM directed that swift action should be taken with regard to overcharging and selling substandard edibles according to law.
The CM directed the Punjab Food Authority to fulfill its basic responsibility to provide quality eatables to the tourists. CM asserted that overcharging on tourist places would not be tolerated under any circumstance adding that the concerned officer would be deemed responsible on overcharging complaints.
Separately, a Faisalabad Press Club delegation met Parvez Elahi at CM Office. The delegation consisted of President Faisalabad Press Club Shahid Ali, Senior Journalist Syed Khawar Abbas, Secretary Azadar Abidi and columnist Rana Iqbal Hussain.
Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Press Secretary to CM Iqbal Chaudhry and DGPR Rao Parvez Akhtar were also present on the occasion. Matters pertaining to progress being made with regard to establishing a Journalist Colony in Faisalabad were discussed during the meeting.
CM Parvez Elahi while talking on the occasion apprised that 190 Kanals of land has been earmarked for the Journalist Colony on the prime location of Faisalabad.
The CM revealed that the cabinet had also accorded its approval to transfer the allocated land in the name of Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation (PJHF) along with approving grant worth Rs250 million.
He highlighted that annual grant would also be disbursed to Faisalabad Press Club. The chief minister outlined that the journalists would be provided facility to obtain loans on soft terms from the Bank of Punjab to build their own houses, adding that the Punjab government was fulfilling the dream of Faisalabad’s journalists for having their own house after Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan.
The office-bearers of Faisalabad Press Club thanked the Chief Minister for approving a grant to establish a Journalist Colony in Faisalabad.
President Faisalabad Press Club Shahid Ali remarked that CM Parvez Elahi has won the hearts of Faisalabad journalists, adding that journalists could never forget his kindness and noble gesture.
Syed Khawar Abbas lauded the steps of CM Parvez Elahi being taken to resolve the problems of journalists regarding Journalist Colony and Press Club.
