Govt to compensate rain losses

HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Rehabilitation Muzaffar Hussain Shujra has said the government would compensate the losses suffered by the people due to the monsoon rains.

The provincial government has already asked to District Coordination Officers of all the rain hit district to begin assessment of losses of lives, property, assets and crops, the minister informed while addressing a news conference here at local circuit house on Friday night.

Replying to a question, the Minister informed that Rs. 0.1 million would be given as compensation to legal heirs of those who lost their live during rains while the injured persons would receive Rs.15,000 each. The government will ensure that the compensation amount is paid to the affected families within two days," he added. Acknowledging the scale of rain disaster in the province particularly in Badin and Tando Muhammad Khan districts, the Minister said that he would recommend to the Chief Minister Sindh to declare the two districts as calamity hit districts.

Responding to another question, the Minister said that so far he could not exactly inform that how much compensation in terms of percentage of the losses would be given to the farmers and to those whose properties and assets have been damaged. The amount will be calculated after a detailed survey of the losses, he added.

The Minister who also oversees the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), informed that the PDMA had dispatched 1,000 tents and 120 tonnes of rice for Tando Muhammad Khan and Badin. The DCO of Tando Muhammad Khan has more than Rs. 40 million in his account for PDMA which will be used for the relief work, he informed.

The Minister informed that each district in the province earmarks two percent from their development budget for PDMA so that amount could be used for disaster management.