BAHAWALPUR: The district administrations of Bahawalpur and Lodhran have established eight and 26 flood relief camps, respectively, in their jurisdictions for the people affected by swelling of the rivers Chenab and Sutlej.

Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioners (DC) Zaheer Anwar Jappa said in the district relief camps have been set up in Ahmedpur East Tehsil’s riverine areas of the river Chenab at Sui Gas rest house near Jhangra Sharqi Pull, Khairpur Daha Basic Health Unit, Government High School Dhoorekote,, Boys Primary School Pipli Rajan, Chenab Rasool, Bakhtiari,Pull Dad Potra Banwala, Primary School Amin Shah Makhan, Bela Chenab Rasoolpur,Balla Jhallan Rural Health Centre, Primary School Ghulam Qadir and Chak Cable in Bakhtiari Union Council.

According to the DC, the residents of these low-lying areas faced flood threat as the Chenab water level was rising. He said at these camps arrangements have been made to house the evacuated people and their livestock.

Locals have demand that doctors and vets should also be deployed at these flood relief camps to provide medical treatment to them and their animals.

In Lodhran, according to DC Mahar Abdul Rauf, 26 flood relief camps have been established to meet any emergency caused by rising water level in the river Sutlej.

He said relief camps have been set up in the areas including Lodhran city, Massa Kote, Bahawalgarh, Khanwah Ghalwan, Kahrore, Haveli Nasear Khan Hafizwala and Dargahpur.Meanwhile, a large number of people, including women and children, thronged the highway and railway bridges on the river Sutlej near the city to have a view of the rising floodwater, released by Indian authorities from the Gandasingwala Headworks.

To cash in on the situation, scores of vendors have also reached there to sell eatables.According to Bahawalpur irrigation officials, the floodwater, after passing from Sulemanki and Islam Headworks (near Hasilpur) was now passing through the Bahawalpur’s highway bridges, making its way to Panjnad Headworks.

The officials say the floodwater filling the Sutlej dry bed in Bahawalpur and Samssata areas would help raise the water table, minimizing the arsenic contamination in the potable water in these areas, besides making the land fertile.

IUB SYNDICATE: The 83rd Syndicate meeting of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) held on Sunday presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Athar Mahboob approved Rs12,930 million budget for varsity for the financial year 2023-24.

According to an IUB press release, as the total budget has been estimated at Rs12,930 million, the ongoing expenditures were Rs10,687m. The varsity development budget is Rs2,242m.

In the meeting, the recommendations of the previous selection board and the discipline committee were also approved.

IUB Registrar Prof Dr Moazzam Jamil presented a review report on the implementation of the decisions taken in the 81st and 82nd meetings of the Syndicate.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2023