MULTAN, Aug 6: The number of flood affected people rose in both Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts due to more discharge of floodwaters from the hill-torrents on Wednesday.

The Punjab chief minister suspended Rajanpur District Coordination Officer Aslam Janjua for his alleged negligence in relief activities and for understating loss of life and property in the district.

Heavy flooding submerged railway lines and Karachi-to-Peshawar Indus Highway in Sorri Lund of Dera Ghazi Khan suspending road and rail traffic. The district administration and other departments were unaware of the blockade.

People have left the villages and are taking shelter at either side of the Indus Highway near Notak Bridge. The government, however, has yet to take any measure to provide relief to the displaced.

The effected people criticised Senior Adviser to Chief Minister Zulfiqar Khosa who announced the only relief for the flood-hit areas in the form of waiving of abiana or water tax.

Even though officials have yet to assess the loss to houses and crops, independent sources estimated the loss at over Rs5 billion. As per unofficial figures more than 200,000 people were displaced in both DG Khan and Rajanpur districts.

On Wednesday, discharge at Kaha hill-torrent was recorded at 40,051 cusecs, Chachar 31,000 cusecs, Sorri Lund 51,460 cusecs, Kaura 10,379 cusecs, Vehoa 64,658 cusecs, Sanghar 38,893 cusecs, Vadore 13,943 cusecs, Sakhi Sarwar 19,030 cusecs and Mithawan 51,049 cusecs.

Also, a special meeting chaired by Member of the National Assembly Saifuddin Khosa was held in Dera Ghazi Khan which was attended by DCO Asadullah decided to send bulldozers to repair Notak Para embankment.

Livestock Director General Irfan Zahid said 23 relief camps were set up in Rajanpur and the district was divided into nine sectors and 21 sub-sectors. In an official handout, Mr Zahid said more than 100,000 cattle were vaccinated.

The district government claimed that cooked food in 126 caldrons or daigs had been dished out among the flood victims in the last five days. A revenue official said hardly 6,300 victims could be served food while flooding had hit one million people.

Moreover, the administration cloud distribute 1,800 packets of flour, ghee, sugar and rice in Rajanpur while Taunsa Sharif which was first hit by flooding has yet to see any relief activity as the administration is to decide if relief activities should be carried out through union nazims or the MPA, sources told Dawn.

Rajanpur District Nazim Ali Raza Dreshak said that floodwater had reached the suburban areas of Rajanpur city.

DG Khan DCO Asad said the situation was not as much serious as it was in Rajanpur district.

He said that medical and livestock camps were established in affected areas while the district administration was distributing food to the victims.

He said 3,000 to 4,000 people had been displaced in the district in the last five days while relief and rescue teams were trying to reach each and every person affected by the flood.

Relief Operation Director General Rizwanullah Baig said that 500 tents were distributed to the effected people in Rajanpur.

4,000 Displaced: Flood in Soori Lound water channel on Wednesday displaced 4,000 people and inundated 17,393 acres of land, including nine villages, in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The flood also made 494 houses to collapse and suspended inter-provincial traffic on Indus Highway. In the wake of the prevailing situation, the district government set up two relief camps in the area.

Separately, Cholistan has received heavy rains during the last five days.

The rains, which are still continuing in parts of Punjab, have benefited the vast desert more than any other part of the province. Such heavy rains in Cholistan are unusual.

As a result of these rains, Cholistan’s dried up ponds have been filled to the brim and life has returned to the area. People and livestock will use this water for months. Moreover, people who left the area because of a lack of water here a few months ago are returning to their homes.