Punjab CM Orders Emergency Monsoon Measures, Reviews Flood Preparedness

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a high-level meeting to review the province’s monsoon situation and issued a series of directives aimed at strengthening flood preparedness and protecting public safety. She instructed all relevant departments to utilize every available resource to tackle urban flooding and potential flood emergencies, while ensuring that construction sites remain safe during the monsoon season.

The chief minister also directed Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and other power distribution companies to take immediate notice of fatalities caused by electrocution during the rains. She said negligence by electricity companies was costing lives, adding that hanging and poorly maintained power lines had become a serious threat to public safety. Maryam Nawaz further ordered the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to respond promptly to complaints received through its helpline and maintain a proper record of grievance redressal.

She instructed authorities to strictly enforce the ban on swimming in rivers, dams, and barrages, monitor these sites through drones, and assess unsafe buildings for voluntary evacuation where necessary. The chief minister also urged parents to keep children away from floodwaters and other hazardous locations. Highlighting ongoing preparedness efforts, she said timely drainage operations had prevented Gujrat city from being inundated after heavy rainfall. She added that WASA had been provided with 1,000 dewatering sets across 41 districts, while 4,000 kilometers of sewer lines, 225,000 manholes, and 724 kilometers of drains had been cleaned ahead of the monsoon season.