Shahbaz announces houses for the flood-hit, journalists | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Shahbaz announces houses for the flood-hit, journalists

MIANWALI: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Thursday a residential colony for journalists in Mianwali “in recognition of their efforts to highlight national issues” and a model village for the flood-hit.

Addressing Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) workers at the residence of former MNA Inamullah Niazi, Mr Sharif also spoke highly of the people of Mianwali for braving the worst flooding in July and August.

The chief minister, who has visited the district several times during and after the flooding, says he has been doing this because of the “fear of God and not to boost my personal piety”. He said he would keep working tirelessly unless all the people rendered homeless in the floods were not rehabilitated.

In August, hundreds of families were made homeless and thousands of acres inundated when over 800,000-cusec floods in the Indus River hit the district. He said that on July 29 he was at Jinnah Barrage where officials told him that eastern spur needed stone-pitching to save the district from a large-scale devastation.

He said he had deployed army, police and labourers of a cement factory to strengthen the protective spur in one day and that his timely decision saved several areas from the flooding.

Mr Sharif visited Isakhel and distributed quilts, fertilizer and seeds vouchers to the flood affected people.

He said he would ensure the equitable distribution of resources among the flood victims and that corruption would be eliminated from police stations. He said the government would also help them build their houses. He said philanthropists and various welfare organisations had promised to build 8,000 houses in flood affected areas of Punjab at the cost of Rs2.5 billion.

He also ordered the inclusion of the areas devastated by a nullah breach and flooding in the River Kurram in Isakhel tehsil under the irrigation department.

People complained to the chief minister that water treatment plants provided during floods were lying idle due to non-supply of electricity.

The complaint cost the job of Mianwali Local Government Assistant Director Muhammad Ramzan Malik for not providing generators.
Source: Dawn
Date:10/29/2010