Karachi: The Sindh government has presented a plan of $1.1 billion to the World Bank (WB) for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in the province to be achieved with the support of international lending agencies.
Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, along with his cabinet colleagues and aides met a high-powered WB delegation led by its Regional Vice-President for South Asia, Martin Raiser.
The CM told the delegation that out of a total 140,190 square kilometres area of the province the floods and rains had inundated 15.39 per cent or 21,691 sq km of land.
The World Bank’s South Asia chief said that he had visited the flood-affected districts of Dadu and Jamshoro and adjoining areas in the province and added that he had never witnessed such human catastrophe caused by floods and rains.
The CM informed the delegation that floods and rains had demolished some 1.7 million houses in the calamity-hit areas whose reconstruction was required after the drainage of floodwaters from the affected towns and villages.
He said that his government required emergency assistance of $500 million for the reconstruction of the damaged houses so that displaced people were provided with permanent shelter before the onset of winter.
He said the homeless flood victims shouldn’t stay in tents at the makeshift shelters after the start of winter to protect their health.
The CM said that he required an estimated sum of Rs 94.7 billion for the reconstruction of the irrigation system of the province badly damaged by the floods and rains.
He said that his government required the assistance of at least $250 million from the bank for the revival of the irrigation system for saving the livelihood of a large number of affected people who were associated with the farm sector.
Shah said that $100 million was required for the overhaul of the water supply and drainage systems in 23 calamity-hit districts of Sindh.
He said the provincial government would require another $100 million for the repair and reconstruction of the damaged local roads in 102 towns and 5,727 villages affected by the floods.
The CM told the WB’s team that floods had killed over 12,000 domesticated animals in Sindh that otherwise was the lone source of income for many poor households associated with the farm sector.
He said the Sindh government required another $1 million for creating livelihood opportunities for such destitute people so that they could go for easy options like selling vegetables and fruits and homemade handicrafts for earning money.
