Cabinet committee approves Rs186m scheme to prevent Nullah overflow in Gujrat

LAHORE, Mar 18 (APP):The Cabinet Committee on Disaster Management has approved Rs186 million for a scheme aimed at preventing the overflow of Nullah Shahbaz Purdwara in Gujrat, following directions from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
The approval was granted during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Disaster Management held at the PDMA Headquarters on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Provincial Minister and Chairman of the Committee, Khawaja Salman Rafique.
During the session, several other projects were also approved to address disaster risks across the province. A scheme worth Rs32 million was sanctioned to prevent erosion caused by River Jhelum in Bhera, Sargodha. Additionally, Rs40 million was approved to tackle sheet flooding in Sialkot, while Rs59 million was allocated for drought management in the Bahawalpur division.
Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Salman Rafique stated that funds amounting to Rs51 billion have already been distributed among flood victims under the directives of the Chief Minister. He added that immediate measures are being taken to protect agricultural land in Muzaffargarh from erosion caused by River Chenab.
The committee also reviewed proposed protective projects worth over Rs92 million to control flood erosion in Jhang district. Furthermore, consideration was given to allocating funds for the provision of drinking water to tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan.
DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia, while briefing the participants on the drought situation in Cholistan, said that proposals including the extension of the PARCO pipeline and construction of a protective dam are under consideration to safeguard local populations. A detailed briefing on disaster risk reduction projects was also presented.
The provincial minister directed authorities to ensure the provision of umbrellas and jerrycans to residents in drought-prone areas as a precautionary measure.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Emergency Services Dr. Rizwan Naseer and other concerned officials. Commissioners of Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Gujranwala, and Bahawalpur divisions, along with deputy commissioners from several districts, participated via video link.