COAS Qamar Bajwa visits flood-hit Dadu, calls for more dams to avoid future catastrophes

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited flood affected areas of Dadu district of Sindh on Saturday, recommended building more dams to avoid future catastrophes caused by climate change, ARY News reported, quoting ISPR. 

According to ISPR, the COAS visited flood affected areas and spent time with affected people of the area.  The Army Chief also met Army soldiers performing relief and rescue operations in the district, the Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR).

The Army Chief said that prefab villages could be established to settle affected people, as they can be built rapidly. They are looking for a location to build a prefab village including 50 to 100 prefab homes, he added.

The COAS said that a two-bedroom prefab house with a kitchen can be constructed in around Rs500,000. If the homes are built on a higher altitude than the people would be safe as well as have good quality of life, he added.

The COAS added that the rapid increase in viral diseases is also an area of concern. Additional medical troops have been deployed in Dadu district, he added.

General Bajwa said that, there is 8-10 feet water in multiple areas which will recede with time. The water level of River Indus has started receding, water in Manchar would also recede after the pressure decreases on the river, said General Bajwa.

The Army Chief added that they will have to resort to a different strategy in Sukkur and Khairpur. We will have to do long term planning and build dams and improve drainage systems, the COAS said.

He added that we contribute less than 1% to the global warming foot print but we are among the 10 most affected countries by global warming. Pakistan glaciers are melting, we paying for the doings of other countries, he added.

General Bajwa added that global warming is a serious issue and can cause severe damages if not catered to attentively. The world will have to move towards alternate and renewable sources of energy, he suggested.

Also Read: COAS Bajwa to meet flood victims in Dadu today: ISPR

‘We will have to build more dams, so we can control water and use it to generate electricity.’

ISPR told that The COAS also visited areas of Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, Mehar, and Manchar lake. Areas near Manchar lake have been most affected by the flooding, the COAS said, ISPR reported.

The Army Chief added that rescue operations have been concluded in most areas but operations are still underway in Dadu district. Deputy Commissioner has done good work and built boundaries around the lake, the COAS said.

General Bajwa added that they have to rescue stranded people of Dadu and provide them with relief. People across the country including Punjab and KPK are donating for affected people, the COAS said.

The Army Chief said that we should not leave everything to the international community but help ourselves too. International forums such as World Food Program, Secretary General United Nations and friendly countries such as the USA, China and Arab countries have visited and are heling us in this hour of need, he added.

The rehabilitation of affected people is a big task, we will have to prepare for such floods in the future, Qamar Bajwa said. The government had asked a Holland based company to conduct a study on river floods in 2017, while they have urged army engineers to work on the issue too, he added.