By: Riaz Butt
On the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Chakwal, Ms. Sarah Hayat, an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue, Mr. Muhammad Shehab Aslam. In the meeting, the Additional Deputy Commissioner stated that during a field visit following the recent rainfall in Chakwal city, many responsible officials were found absent from their assigned locations. In this regard, instructions were issued to ensure round-the-clock presence in the field in view of the current situation and to make immediate arrangements for water drainage in any emergency.
During the meeting, all Assistant Commissioners were thoroughly briefed about their preparedness. It was instructed that the cleaning of drains should be completed on a priority basis as soon as possible, and daily progress reports must be submitted in this regard. All officers were directed to prepare a detailed monsoon preparedness plan, which should identify all locations that are prone to flooding. The plan must include the name of each drain, its current cleanliness status, and if any repair or construction work is required, a formal letter should be sent to the relevant department (especially the Roads Department).
Further instructions were given to activate the Early Warning System and to establish communication groups (WhatsApp groups) with the help of Lumberdars (village headmen), Union Council Secretaries, and Patwaris (revenue officers) to timely inform the public about any potential flood situation.
Rescue 1122 and the Health Department were directed to jointly prepare a Rescue and Relief Response Plan, which should clearly outline all sensitive locations, the availability of nearby rescue teams, and a clear strategy for emergency situations. The Health Department was also instructed to provide details of the Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Basic Health Units (BHUs) near these sensitive locations and to present a comprehensive emergency response plan outlining how they will respond in case of an emergency.
Lastly, the Executive Engineer (XEN) of Small Dams was instructed to provide a list of personnel deployed at all dams and to take effective measures to prevent the public from swimming or bathing in the dams.
