ISLAMABAD: The office of Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has asked Pakistan Commission for Indus Water (PCIW) to collect data of water inflows in rivers from its Indian counterpart on daily basis to formulate strategy to deal with possible floods during upcoming monsoon season starting from July 1st.
An important meeting for finalising the pre-monsoon preemptive measures hosted by FFC was planned on March 25th, however it couldn’t be held because of outbreak pandemic COVID-19.
While maintaining the social distancing protocols in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, FFC and all the relevant departments through video conferencing and email-system, agreed to adopt recommendations for pre-monsoon preemptive measures to minimize losses in possible floods during upcoming monsoon period.
The copy of official communiqué No. FC-1 (23) 2020 available with ‘The News Today’ revealed that the office of FFC conveyed to Pakistan Commission for Indus Water (PCIW) to start collecting the data of water inflows in rivers on daily basis from Indian counterpart office.
The office of FFC has asked the Provincial Irrigation Departments (PIDs) & Federal Line Agencies (FLAs) to complete all approved and ongoing flood protection schemes taken up under GOP funded Normal/ Emergent Flood Programme/ Foreign funded/ provincially funded Programmes.
The office of federal flood commission has also directed to all relevant departments to ensure strengthening work at all vulnerable locations and weak sections of flood protection infrastructure, and complete 2019-Flood Damages Restoration Works.
As part of early monsoon precautionary exercise, FFC has directed the departments dealing with water Infrastructure related projects to complete routine O&M works related to Barrages/Head Works/Bridges, Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Protection Infrastructure.
It further directed water infrastructure related departments to ensure pre-monsoon inspections of flood protection infrastructure (Flood Bunds/Protection Structures, Spurs, Barrages/ Head-works and their allied components etc) jointly with concerned Corps of Engineers of Pak Army to ascertain existing infrastructure condition, implementation of plan for their strengthening and execution of all rehabilitation works before start of monsoon season 2020.
FFC has also asked the relevant stakeholders to enact of River Act based on approval from the respective provincial governments’ cabinets before 30′ June 2020 to effectively implement flood plains regulation (removal of existing encroachments and restricting new settlements in the flood plains).
Chairman FFC/CE, Ahmed Kamal while talking to The News Today said that all the officers concerned have been conveyed in writing to ensure removal of encroachments from Flood Plains/ High Risk Zones, Waterways causing hindrance in flood flows submit their progress to the FFC on fortnightly basis till completion of the task. The entire exercise will be completed well before the start of monsoon season 2020, he added
He said all the relevant departments will finalize District/ Division-wise flood mitigation plans, keeping in view lessons from the past floods, and ensure their circulation among concerned organizations include FFC well in time for a comprehensive strategy during this year’s monsoon season.
“These departments will share lists of all vulnerable locations along with their respective flood contingency plans clearly outlining the flood combating strategy in case of likely floods during monsoon season, above actions will be completed well before 30th June 2020”, he maintained.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) have also been asked to ensure all essential repairs and maintenance of equipment relating to Flood Forecasting & Warning System, including100 percent functioning of all existing weather radars, installed in Lahore, Sialkot, Mangla, Islamabad & Karachi. Rahim Yar Khan & D.I. Khan.
FFC chairman was of the view that the general manager Tarbela project and chief engineer Mangla Dam project will ensure timely completion of all necessary preparatory works as per standard operating procedures. The arrangements include; stocks of construction materials, testing of Spillway gates & warning hooters, arrangement of plants, equipment for use in emergency, calibration of seepage measuring devices and instrumentations.
WAPDA has also been asked to expedite progress on up-gradation of Flood Telemetry Network being installed through World Bank funded WCAP in order to complete the task within the specified time period.
(With additional reporting by Rana Tariq)
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