Islamabad, June 29, 2021 (PPI-OT): Mr. Ahmed Kamal, the Chief Engineering Advisor/ Chairman, Federal Flood Commission, Ministry of Water Resources, has stated that all concerned government organizations must be watchful and ensure improved level of coordination in disseminating real time monsoon rains and floods related information during the 2021 monsoon season commencing from July 01, 2021 while chairing the 56th Annual meeting of Federal Flood Commission on 28th June 2021.
The meeting was organized to review arrangements made by the Provinces and Federal Line Agencies for safe passage of Monsoon Season 2021. He highlighted the Seasonal Weather Forecast shared by PMD during the meeting and stated that according to PMD’s Monsoon Season 2021 forecast, monsoon rainfall is expected to remain near to normal during July to September 2021 in Pakistan. The upper half of Punjab, northern Balochistan and Kashmir are likely to receive moderately above normal rainfall during the season.
The Chief Engineering Advisor/ Chairman, Federal Flood Commission shared the Pre-Monsoon Season actions taken by FFC for holistic flood management activities in case of any eventuality. All the stakeholders briefed the meeting on their respective pre-emptive measures taken to ensure safety of irrigation and flood protection infrastructure, round-the-clock monitoring of critical river locations and relevant arrangements made for flood fighting, fault free functioning of weather radar and Automatic Weather Stations of PMD and flood telemetry system of WAPDA. The preparedness measures taken by NDMA and PDMAs/ GBDMA/ FDMA/ SDMA were season also discussed in detail.
The Chair directed them to remain vigilant throughout the monsoon season and further improve upon the already made arrangements. The representative of Engineers Directorate, GHQ Rawalpindi apprised that they were ready and vigilant for operating breaching sections on rivers Indus, Chenab and Ravi in case of emergency situation, besides, rescue operations in case of flood emergency situation. The Dam Management Authorities of Tarbela and Mangla Dam Projects shared the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Mangla and Tarbela Dams and arrangements made for flood discharge regulation, in case of high flood flows during the ensuing monsoon season.
Representative of WAPDA informed that all existing Flood Telemetry Stations were fully operational. In view of forecast of rains and expected urban flooding, provinces were advised to be vigilant and ensure timely clearance of the storm drains in all major and other cities. He asked the relevant authorities to remove the encroachments, and clear the waterways of Barrages and NHA/ Pak. Railways Bridges, which may restrict free flood flows of rivers and may result in floods. De-silting and removal of encroachments from Nullahs passing through urban areas (Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Lahore and Faisalabad etc.) was stressed.
The representatives of Provincial Irrigation Departments, and Federal Line Agencies informed that all urgent nature O and M works were substantially completed. The Chair directed the representatives of Provinces and Federally Administered Areas to make utmost efforts in completion of under-construction flood protection and river training works so as to make them safe against 2021-floods and ensure protection of adjoining settlements, private and public property. At the end, the Chair thanked all the participants for attending the meeting.
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