Multan:World Bank will provide 850 million dollars in aid to the 34 flood-affected districts of Pakistan. Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur will also be among the districts that will receive aid. In this regard, the delegation of UNO met Commissioner DG Khan Liaqat Ali Chatta in the office of Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab office located in Multan. The delegation included representatives of UNO, Tanveer Ahmad Khan and Shamila Ruhi, while PDMA and Ehsaas Programme Officers of South Punjab were also present in the meeting. Commissioner DG Khan Division Liaqat Ali Chatta speaking on the occasion, said that all the flood affected people of DG Khan and Rajanpur districts have shifted back to their place. He said that the flood victims deprived of their homes are staying in tents. Liaquat Ali Chatta said that the survey of the flood affected areas will be completed in a week and these survey teams include representatives of the administration, PDMA, urban unit and the army. 100 teams are engaged in DK han while 75 teams are working in Rajanpur,he added. Commissioner DG Khan told the delegation that the restoration of canal system damaged by flood in DG Khan and Rajanpur was a challenge for administration for which Government of Punjab provided a generous sum of Rs 75 crore and now 95 percent of the canal system has been restored. Canal water supply for crops has been made possible by constructing bypasses where the siphons of the canals were destroyed due to floods, Commissioner added.He said that 300 school buildings were affected by the flood and now classes have been restarted in 75 percent of the affected schools. Liaquat Ali Chatta while elaborating about the action plan to deal with floods in the future, said that work has been started on the construction of drains to save Rajan Pur,Jam Pur and Rojhan from the flood and water channels will also be stream lined in DG Khan district. He further said that the Punjab government has decided an easy procedure for payment of aid to the flood victims and instead of getting into the trouble of opening an account and issuing a cheque, now the flood victims will get cash from the Bank of Punjab upon receiving a message.The Commissioner assured the delegation to extend his full cooperation to UNO and other international organizations working in flood effected areas. Tanveer Ahmad Khan, the representative of the United Nations in Pakistan, said that the UNO wants to work with coordination with the local administration. The delegation asked various questions about health facilities and food supply to flood effected people and about cultivation of crops in the area.
