BADIN: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday visited rain-hit areas of Tando Mohammad Khan and Badin and assured provision of relief to the calamity-hit people. He said the federal and Sindh governments would offer all kinds of support to the people to help them recover from the disaster.
Addressing gatherings of representatives of affected people in Tando Mohammad Khan and Badin, the prime minister ordered immediate provision of 15,000 tents for the homeless, issuance of Watan Cards by Nadra for compensation, widening of Benazir Income Support Programme area to the rain-affectees for humanitarian assistance, interest-free loans by the Agricultural Development Bank and for the implementation of a drainage scheme to avoid such losses in future.
The prime minister, accompanied by Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Ministers Syed Khursheed Shah and Syed Naveed Qamar, had an aerial view of the vast areas affected by the rains in Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan districts and Sindhri area of Mirpurkhas.He said National Disaster Management Authority has been directed to look into the needs of the affected people including tents, food, water, medicines and ensure their availability.
“I have asked the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the other concerned departments to assist in the rescue and relief efforts,” Gilani said.Gilani said the people of Tando Mohammad Khan had supported Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and appreciated their courage. He said the people of Sindh faced unprecedented floods last year and stayed at relief camps for long. He assured that the federal and provincial governments would extend all the assistance to them to mitigate their sufferings.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister declared rain affected areas of Tando Mohammad Khan and others as calamity-hit.Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar briefed the prime minister about the losses due to rains and said the whole area looked like a sea. He demanded of the government to declare the area as calamity-hit and necessary assistance should be extended to the affected people.Later, Gilani witnessed the distribution of relief items among the affectees.
“I feel very sad that the people of Badin have once again become victims of a natural disaster,” he said and added that the people of the area were brave and resilient as they turned a new leaf of their lives every time they were struck by a disaster.The prime minister said, “I will direct the Finance Ministry to look into the matter of waiver of loans owed by the rain-affected people”.
The prime minister accepted the request of DCO Badin Kazim Hussain Jatoi who sought support of the Air Force for resuce operations.The Prime Minister also visited a classroom of children set up at the relief camp in Badin where he handed over gifts to the children. He also visited a medical camp where he spoke to patients and doctors. – Nation
