The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources held its inaugural session today, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan at Parliament House.
The chairman instructed the Federal Flood Commission to provide updated Daily Flood Situation Reports (DFSR) to the committee, government, and relevant agencies to prevent catastrophes.
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The meeting was convened to receive a detailed briefing from the Chairman of the Federal Flood Commission on the Flood Protection Plan and the commission’s preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season and its potential impacts.
Senators Faisal Saleem Rahman, Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Poonjo Bheel, Hidayattullah Khan, and Khalil Tahir were in attendance. Federal Minister for Water Resources Senator Musadik Malik later joined the proceedings. The Committee Chair expressed disappointment at the absence of ministry officials, emphasizing their importance during the critical monsoon season.
Highlighting the start of the monsoon season, the Committee stressed the proactive nature of their meeting to take preemptive measures. Senator Humayun Mohmand emphasized managing water flows from Tarbela, noting the August 20 deadline for reservoir levels.
Officials outlined protocols for managing floodwaters through Tarbela, including controlled releases during heavy rainfall. The Committee requested a ten-year performance report from the Federal Flood Commission Chairman. Concerns about ongoing damage to Right Bank Out Fall Drain (RBOD) One and Two prompted a demand for a detailed report due to suspected irregularities by WAPDA.
The Committee observed that encroachments were the main cause of floods in Kalam, reiterating that eradication of encroachments is a federal responsibility, and requested satellite data to identify affected zones as directed by the Supreme Court in the Marvi Memon case.
Funding for the commissions was also discussed, scrutinizing allocations in previous years. The Committee Chair advocated for additional staffing for the Federal Flood Commission, stressing efficient resource management.
Reviewing annual reports dating back to 2017, the Committee expressed dismay at apparent duplications, calling for more substantive content in future submissions.
Senator Faisal Vawda warned of the potential for devastating floods in the upcoming monsoon season, urging provinces to implement preemptive measures. He criticized the government’s failure to learn from past experiences and stressed the urgent need to empower the Federal Flood Commission, asserting that leaving this responsibility solely to provincial authorities would be inadequate.
Vawda emphasized that relying on superficial measures would be futile and called for the commission to work tirelessly to ensure effective oversight and implementation to safeguard the nation from catastrophic floods.
The Chairman of the Federal Flood Commission provided a detailed briefing on the Commission’s Flood Protection Plan and readiness measures for the upcoming monsoon season, including establishing a Flood Communication Cell and issuing DFSR to the public.
