CM Elahi directs anti-dengue campaign across Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Monday ordered to run an anti-dengue campaign to overcome the dengue spread in the wake of the ongoing monsoon season. He issued these orders while presiding over a meeting here to review measures taken to control dengue in the province. The chief minister said there should be effective monitoring and accurate reporting of the anti-dengue activities and trained staff should be hired to run this drive, adding that the full focus should be on clinical management and anti-dengue teams be mobilized at the grassroots to achieve desired results. He said these teams should conduct regular visits and indoor and outdoor surveillance should be given special attention, asserting that anti-dengue activities should not be limited to the provincial capital, but every city in the province and breeding spots of dengue mosquitoes should be eradicated on a priority basis. Similarly, a strong awareness campaign should be conducted to involve society, the CM said and added that the hospitals should have the best treatment arrangements for dengue patients. During the meeting, Health secretary briefed the meeting about measures to control dengue. Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Afzal, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, former P&D chairman Salman Ghani, former principal secretary to CM GM Sikandar, secretaries, commissioner Lahore, experts and others attended the meeting while divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link. CM announces financial assistance to overcome flood damages to people’s properties: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday announced financial assistance to help overcome the damages caused by flood to people’s properties and other belongings in south Punjab. Chairing a meeting to review flood situation and relief activities in Rajanpur, DG Khan especially Taunsa and Muzaffargarh, here at his office, he added that owners of completely destroyed houses would be given Rs 600,000 each while the owners of partially destroyed houses would be provided Rs 400,000 each. Similarly, the damage caused to the livestock would also be compensated, he maintained. The chief minister directed respective deputy commissioners to complete the surveys and this survey process should not only be kept simple but also local representatives be taken on board. The flood affected people should not suffer any kind of inconvenience during the survey process and financial assistance should reach the affected people without delay, he added. The chief minister also directed the authorities concerned that relief activities should be intensified and dry food should continuously be delivered to the affected population. The water flow in rivers must be monitored properly and steps should be taken accordingly to fortify the rivers’ embankments, he said and asserted that necessary resources and machinery should be used for the maintenance of link roads in the affected areas. “I will visit flood-hit areas of Rajanpur and DG Khan tomorrow (Tuesday) to personally review the situation as rehabilitation of flood affected people is my priority,” he vowed. MPAs Amina Jafar Leghari, Mohsin Leghari, Muhammad Saifuddin Khan Khosa, Muhammad Awais Dareshak, Farooq Amanullah Dareshak, Sardar Ahmad Ali Khan Dareshak, Muhammad Mohiuddin Khan Khosa, Abdul Hai Dasti, Javed Akhtar, Kh. Muhammad Daud Solemani, Muhammad Ashraf Khan Rind, Niaz Hussain Khan, Mian Alamdar Abbas Qureshi, Muhammad Aun Hameed, Muhammad Raza Hussain Bukhari, Muhammad Moazzam Ali Khan and Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmad Khan, and Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Afzal, former P&D chairman Salman Ghani, former principal secretary to CM GM Sikandar, secretaries and senior officials were present, while Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR), divisional commissioners, DG Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and deputy commissioners of Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and DG Khan participated through video link. CM grieved over death of 10 family members in Rawalakot: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the death of 10 members of a family who lost their lives due to caving in the roof of a house in Tatta Pani area of Rawalakot. The chief minister extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved heirs and added that the Punjab government stood with them in this hour of grief.