Floods: Land route restoration unlikely before Eid

RAJANPUR: Complete restoration of land route in flood-hit parts of the district is unlikely before Eid-ul-Fitr, but the administration will continue food, and medical supplies to victims till life returns to normal for them.

DCO Rajanpur Ghazi Amanullah said this on Tuesday while talking to the reporters.

Flash flood inundated 97,000 acres of crop area in Kaha Sultan and Chachar, damaged 11,000 houses, affected 50000 people in 61 mouzas, and link roads leading to 20-22 mouza were damaged, officials apprised.

DCO said that around 20 per cent restoration of damaged link roads could be done before Eid--provided rains stop and there is no subsequent flow of water from hill torrents.

Officials and community leaders said that in Rajapur's Pachad area people mostly survive on cattle rearing.

They are industrious and have developed habit of braving such odds for they are facing floods for years. They usually leave homes for settled areas by July end or start of August and return by September when the threat is over.

DCO said that it would take more than a fortnight to restore the road links leading to around 22 of 61 affected villages.

He appreciated that Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has announced Rs 50 million grant for flood hit people, and added that all resources would be utilized to facilitate affected people during last days of Ramadan ul Mubarak as only two days are left in Eid ul Fitr.

"Departments of health, revenue and livestock have been told to set up relief camps to provide food, medical aid, vaccination to people and livestock", he said.

DCO Ghazi Amanullah said that the district administration had requested help from army and two helicopters were supplying food packets to areas that have been disconnected due to damaged road link.

He said flood water has reached Dajal Town's rural surroundings, however, town area population is safe. The water has entered Dajal canal and the resultant overflow drove water to a populated village, Basti Meh, where water entered homes of the villagers and damaged an old graveyard 'Qaziaan'.

Officials warned that more rains or deluge can pose threat to Dajal canal and any breach in the canal would inundate more area.

Efforts were being made to shift villagers from Basti Meh to safer places. People have started to leave but many families do not want to leave their homes.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Jampur Abdur Rauf Khan said that pumps and peter engines would be used to drain out water for reclamation of roads.