FAISALABAD – Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Housing Barrister Sultan Bajwa has directed all relevant departments to accelerate monsoon preparedness measures and ensure foolproof arrangements to prevent urban flooding in Faisalabad during the upcoming rainy season.
High-Level Meeting on Monsoon Management
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Commissioner Office alongside Divisional Commissioner Madam Musarrat Jabeen, Barrister Sultan Bajwa reviewed the implementation of directives issued by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regarding monsoon management and urban flood prevention. The meeting received a detailed briefing on monsoon arrangements, particularly measures being undertaken to avert urban flooding in the city.
Instructions for WASA and Drainage Systems
The provincial parliamentary secretary and divisional commissioner instructed WASA officials to ensure that all dewatering sets remain fully operational and are strategically deployed near low-lying areas vulnerable to water accumulation. They directed authorities to complete desilting of roadside drains and channels by June 15 at all costs, emphasizing uninterrupted round-the-clock operations through nine desilting machines.
Emergency Preparedness and Mock Exercise
They also reviewed emergency preparedness and appreciated the identification of seven additional emergency camps, directing that a total of 15 camps be made fully functional with all required facilities and equipment. The meeting decided to conduct a mock exercise on June 10 to assess the effectiveness of monsoon response arrangements and identify any operational gaps before the onset of heavy rains.
Development Projects and Safety Compliance
Barrister Sultan Bajwa ordered the uninterrupted continuation of work on the foreign-funded wastewater treatment plant project and directed the departments concerned to expedite progress on 14 development schemes being executed under the Chief Minister’s package at a cost of Rs10 billion, as well as two packages under the Punjab Development Program worth Rs12 billion. He stressed that all development projects should be completed while ensuring strict compliance with safety measures to protect both workers and the public.
Road Restoration and Coordination
Divisional Commissioner Madam Musarrat Jabeen directed WASA to restore 23 road cuts by June 30 and instructed officials to provide daily photographic evidence of progress. She further ordered that roads along Muharram procession routes be restored on a priority basis to facilitate religious observances and public movement. The divisional commissioner announced that in future, no street or road construction project would commence without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from WASA. The NOC would include details regarding sewerage infrastructure, its lifespan, and technical feasibility before road construction approvals are granted.
Inter-Departmental Coordination and Inspections
The meeting also directed WASA and the Municipal Corporation to further strengthen coordination for effective service delivery and timely completion of civic projects. Meanwhile, the provincial parliamentary secretary and divisional commissioner decided to inspect public parks and tasked the Horticulture Agency with improving their condition and maintenance standards. On the indication of the parliamentary secretary, it was also decided to inspect the quality of development schemes being executed by PHATA.
Water Filtration Plants and Housing Societies
The meeting assigned the Punjab Saaf Pani Authority targets for making the remaining water filtration plants operational, while the FDA was directed to address public complaints related to housing societies in a timely and effective manner.
Attendees
The meeting was attended by Director General Faisalabad Development Authority Muhammad Asif Chaudhary, Additional Commissioner Coordination Tanveer Murtaza, Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue Shireena Jenejo, Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency Faisalabad Saqib Raza, Managing Director Horticulture Agency Dilawar Khan, and officers of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency, Punjab Saaf Pani Authority, Municipal Corporation, and other departments.
