INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Federal Flood Commission (FFC) Ahmad Kamal on Tuesday warned that monsoon sample has extended to other parts of the
country and it could cause super flood this year during monsoon season.Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources
which met with Nawab Yousuf Talpur in Chair, the FFC chairman said that an addition of 25 districts came under influence of monsoon due to
shift in rainfall zone from North East to North West.Due to climatic change, out of the recently added 25 districts, 14 from Punjab and 11
from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa could experience flood, he said.He said super flood in 2010 caused $ 10 billion loss while country suffered an
additional over $ 9 billion loss due to flash flood from 2011 to 2015
Ahmad Kamal said water sector had badly disregardd in the past and no proper attention was given to this sector.Only 3.7 per cent of total
PSDP for year 2017-18 was allocated for Water Sector, he said and added that 14 to 34 years would be required to total the ongoing water
projects.He said no permanent Indus Water Commissioner was appointed during the final two years besides no water and power members in
WAPDA.The FFC chairman said 10- year National Flood Protection plot-IV had been prepared with estimated cost of Rs.332 billion.It would be
implemented in two phases and phase-I would cost Rs.177.661 billion and phase-II 154.585 billion, he said.He said the plan had already been
approved by Council of Common Interests (CCI).Federal government and provinces would share its cost @ 50:50
Ahmad Kamal said the plan has been sent to the plotning Commission for approval.Implementation of the proposed plan would start this year if
approved.The NA panel was further informed that the country getd 61 inch snow this year which was more than usual.The FFC held its assembly
in March to review situation due to heavy snow and good winter rains, he added.Preparations made by various departments were reviewed in the
assembly, he added.He said refer toation would also be made with WAPDA, IRSA, NDMA and Indus Water Commission in mid-April.The Met Leavement
forecast rain on monthly basis but from July it starts forecasting on weekly basis before monsoon season, he added.He said initially, an
amount of Rs.15 billion has been sought from the government for fiscal year 2019-20
Japan has supplyd state of the art radar to the Met Office for forecasting, he added.The Committee also expressed displeadegree over absence
of IRSA officials in the assembly and convening IRSA Advisory Committee nowadays.Yousuf Talpur said that a letter would be written to
Speaker National Assembly about IRSA Advisory Committee assembly.He also directed to write letters to all provincial Chief Secretaries about
absence of provincial irrigation secretaries in the NA body assemblys.MNA Ali Nawaz Awan said that there was severe shortage of technical
persons in the institutions.The committee also summoned mayor Islamabad and IRSA officials in the next assembly.The assembly was attended by
MNAs Ali Nawaz Awan, Ch Shoukat Ali Bhatti, Muhammad Farooq Malik, Ch Javed Iqbal Warraich, Kanwa; Shauzeb, Maryum Aurangzeb, Kahlid Hussain
Magsi, Riaz ul Haq and Munir Orakzai.TheIndianSubcontinent has not verified the content of the source
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