The Rawalpindi district administration has approved a new flood relief plan to deal with flooding and the ensuing destruction in Nullah Leh and ten other major rain drains across the city during monsoon by declaring the period from June 15 to September 15 as "flood season".

Five flood relief camps will be built in the city under this plan, while 12 low-lying areas of Rawalpindi have been declared sensitive and dangerous in view of the flood risk. These areas include Nadeem Colony, Javed Colony, Fazalabad, Arya Mohalla, Usmanpura, Gawalmandi, Ziaul Haq Colony, Ratta Amaral, Khayaban-e- Sir Syed, Dhok Khaba and Fauji Colony.

The flood relief camps will be set up in Islamia High School No 1, Islamia School 4, Girls College New Katarian, Girls School Ratta Amaral and Girls College Gawalmandi.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema has banned the dumping of waste and building material in the ten storm drains during the flood season. Officers of the finance department and assistant commissioners have been issued instructions to shift citizens from the houses of all the affected areas to safe places before the flood season.

Army troops will be on alert during the designated flood season and army officers will be posted in the flood control room. The flood control room will be set up from June 5 to 10, while a control room will also be established in the Municipal Corporation Office Rawalpindi in which representatives of all institutions concerned will be present. Around 300 Civil Defense personnel will perform security duties in low-lying areas during monsoon.

The Japanese-installed flood warning device in Nullah Leh will be activated within a week while a mock exercise will be held near Nullah Leh Javed Colony to rescue victims trapped in flood water.

The deputy commissioner has ordered to remove encroachments around Nullah Leh and other drains across the city before the flood season. From June 15 to September 15, no encroachment will be allowed near Nullah Leh and storm drains.

The education department would be responsible to provide accommodation to flood victims in relief camps. The provision of food has been assigned to the finance department, the security would be the responsibility of the local police, while the health department will be responsible for medicine and healthcare facilities for the flood hit residing in camps.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema on Wednesday inspected a mock exercise of Rescue-1122 organised at Rawal Dam to deal with the flood situation.

The deputy commissioner also checked Rescue 1122 preparations made to handle the flood situation and other administrative issues including relief activities. He was briefed about the equipment being used to deal with the flood situation.

The official said that all the departments concerned were alert to cope with any flood situation. A system to give timely information to the public had been devised, he said adding that all the equipment should be kept fully functional besides maintaining their complete record.

Regular duty roster of the staff should be made and all necessary staff should be directed to ensure their availability in case of emergency, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2023.