Thursday, January 27, 2011
Observations on criminal negligence of Flood By Marvi Memon
Presentation to the
Flood commission
By MNA Marvi Memon
January 2011
Agenda
Why did I petition?
Observations on criminal negligence: Sindh
Comments on Sindh Inquiry Report and Sindh govt
Observations on criminal negligence: Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, Kashmir, GB
Outstanding issues
Expectations
Why I petitioned?
because I traveled through criminal negligence
PHASE 1—FLOOD MONITORING visits:
PUNJAB: Mianwali, Bakhar, Layah, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Mithankot (July 30-Aug 1)
SINDH: Guddu Barrage, Kashmore, Sukkur, Larkano, Moenjodaro, Ghotki (Aug 2-3)
KPK: Peshawer, Charsada, Noshera (Aug 4)
GB: Skurdu, Ghanchea (Aug 12-15)
BALOCHISTAN: Quetta to Dera Allah yar (Aug 16-18)
PHASE 2—FLOOD FUND RAISING NY/ Houston (Aug 5-8)
PHASE 3 —FLOOD RELIEF OPERATION – “MARVI MEMON FLOOD RELIEF FUND”:
Balochistan: Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Allah Yar (Aug 16-18) (Sept 5)
Sindh: Karachi, Bhitshah, NausheroFeroz, Khairpur, Sukkur, Thatta (Aug 19 ongoing), Dadu, Johi, Sewan (Sept10)
Gilgit Baltistan: Kaumra and Tallis – Skurdu and Ghanchea (Aug 23-24)
KPK: Noshera (Aug 24)
Punjab: Mithankot, Rojhan, Jampur(Aug 26-7)
AJK: Oct 1-3 medical camp Neelum valley
PHASE-4 CAMP SITE MANAGEMENT:
THATTA: Aug-27 onwards (Makkli and Baghan)
SEHWAN: Sep 19 onwards
PHASE 5— REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION
Thatta October 2010 onwards-
Salient features of my petition
- Criminal negligence
Pre flood Maintenance not done leading to flood impact exacerbating. Corruption on maintenance, monitoring and upgrading funds leading to poor defence structures against floods
Diverting of flood waters to save personal lands into areas which under normal water route would have been safe
No accountability for funds spent on rescue, relief and rehabilitation down to UC level linked to source of funds
7 august ‘overtopping’ of Tori bund – 2 breaches between mile 12 and 13 of Tori bund. After the breach water rushed to Ghouspur loop bund which was breached at 3 locations. Accumulation along left side of BS Feeder which breached near Unar Escape Regulator. It was contained at BS Feeder fr 24 hours with no effort to contain water. Then it breached Right embankment of the BS Feeder near dari Town and rushed towards Indus Highway on wards to Southern Sindh and Balochistan.
Loss estimated by Ministry of Finance of devastation to houses, crops and infrastructure is $10 billion. Who will pay for it?
In 1976 about 1.2mm cusecs flowed but didn’t cause so much damage since water flow was managed better.
Height of 6 feet for bunds was decided after 1976 floods but this was not done by subsequent governments.
In 1976 it is reported that to alleviate pressure on Sukkur barrage Ali Wahan Bund was breached.
2010 flood Watan card distribution was on political basis
Seeds and fertilizer being distributed was on political basis.
Why were World bank reports ignored which declared Pak at most risk from severe flooding.
Flood office and Met office warned government of inundation of many villages due to excessive rainfall and exceptionally high flood at Guddu and Sukkur. Warnings ignored.
Irrigation works were in bad shape due to poor spending on them. Sukkur Barrage Rehabilitation Improvement Project unspent. Rehab of Irrigation Project paltry amount spent. Same for Lining of distributaries and minors project.
Allegations by many influential people who said 2 sitting PPP ministers responsible for breaches to save own lands and to save US Air base in Jacobabad.
Admission by Irrigation minister Sindh that they made artificial cut at Ghouspur after claiming later that no cuts were made. VIDEO.
Admition by many PPP parliamentarians as well as govt officials like Hussain Haroon in UN of artificial cuts.
US airbase access not given for relief efforts as per govt admission.
Shikarpur flood affectees were denied access to Nawabshah. Many from upper Sindh were denied access to Karachi.
Relief camps were havens for disease.
Sindh Inquiry Commission report
First premise that the floods were so ravaging because of nature alone versus man made criminal negligence, puts a doubt on reports credibility.
Mention of protective bunds without mention of how badly damaged they were prior to floods due to poor maintenance.
Access to real evidences limited: Only 4 individuals at Sukkur recorded their evidences, 35 at Kandkhot, 33 in Thatta (including only govt parliamentarians). Report said efforts were made to get in touch with opposition but we were never contacted.
Reason for incompletion of flood protection schemes given as follows: that the process of financial approval was ‘arduous’. This could have been changed if urgent need was felt.
Chief Engineer admittance that in 34 years height of bunds not raised to 6 but only 4 feet. Also that proper silting had not been carried out.
Inaccurate assessment of Ghouspur loop bund that it had ‘many leaks’ so it broke whilst Minister admits it was cut by govt. (p.60)
Admits that Tori bund despite its precarious state from 1904 to 1975 with constant breaches, (p.166) was not stone pitched. (p.40)
‘Majority’ of what government provided as evidence givers thought there was overtopping. This is not a random sample. (p.41)
Estimate copies exist of gunny bags ‘used’ for Toris defence in July 2010 (p.42). But its clear from evidence that these were infact not used.
Vacating of katchas (p.45) was not done properly since alternative places of accommodation and transportation to vacate were not provided. That’s the reason for less people voluntarily vacating. This has not been identified by commission.
Finances not available with irrigation department (p.62) Clearly admits that govt did not provide enough and timely finances to fortify and strengthen the bunds. Showing an avg deficit of 30% in last 4 yrs. (p.64)
Bund manual given without evaluating which portions of bund manual were infact not followed. That should have been the job of a commission.
M S Bund evidence recorded that breach was man made. (p.168) Kot almo tv footage proves it (p.174) and subsequent delays in plugging also proves it.
Despite this the local parliamentarians from Thatta made responsible for monitoring by CM have not been held responsible. MNA Soomro has held Chief Engineer Kotri as responsible for poor management.
Admission by Kotri barrage Chief Engineer that no federal funding in last 3 years for this region’s maintenance (p.194)
Wrong conclusion that it was not man made (p.201) using vigilance / picketing as evidence that nobody came forward to artificially cut the bunds.(p.203) Wasn’t sufficient vigilance clearly. Claim that leakages were ‘successfully combated’ (p.204) faulty considering the damages accepted.
PDMA and DDMA admit that they were not in a position to check whether their instructions have been implemented or not. (p. 204) They admit finances for maintenance were not given (p.207)
Commission refrains from holding ‘one man’ responsible despite the fact that organizations failed and normally when they do the top man is responsible in that organization. (p.213)
Accepts that there is ‘lack of evidence’ to establish how much fortification of bunds was done. Accepts collective negligence (p.217) of Irrigation department and yet Irrigation Minister and Secretary not taken to task.
Accepts the fact that ‘if adherence to Bund Manual is done then unless and untill something extra ordinary occurs the chances of bund breaching are minimized.’(p.218) Same evidence on bund manual’s impeccable accuracy is given by petitioner.
Recommends making monitoring and utilization of funds mandatory. The report goes in direct contradiction to Sindh govt’s response to petition that ‘funds were disbursed and utilized in transparent manner’
Recommends removal of encroachments. (Sukkur)
Does not deal with many other breaches which caused devastation to areas like KN Shah and Johi.
Criminal Negligence
Sindh govt denied (para 20) the list of affected areas which has been provided to petitioner by NDMA satellite maps. This list is important for the commission because it is a fact that these areas have been affected and have been promised watan card compensation by govt.
Sindh govt has been misleading the commission on the fact that only Kot Almo and Tori were breached. Of 142 sensitive spots commission needs to investigate how many were infact breached. Including how Manchar was dealt with.
NDMA’s funds accountability is lacking. It needs to give a detailed list of source of funds and where funds were actually spent UC wise. Todate that has not been given. There have been many issues raised on the accountability of UN orgs by the PM himself. That a portion of the funds are to be spent by NGOs over which govt has no control. This needs investigation.
Balochistan govt response admits that flood was not a sudden phenomena and that precautionary measures were not taken. Sindh govt was openly blamed in court by Balochistan for the damages. As such compensation to Balochistan for criminal negligence needs investigation.
KPK: Based on Visit to Noswhera and Charsadda the breakdown of the district govt was seen. Dead animals 8 days later in the water are a testament to this.
Punjab: Breaches of Southern Punjab need investigation as to whether they were man made or not. Many media items support this view. Personal observation was of the late response to relief and rescue. SOS hotlines were not clearly advertised causing much damage. As well as the poor coordination between centre and province.
Kashmir: Forgotten for Watan cards, for relief assistance as noted in my trip to neelum valley
GB: KKH affected for days, black marketing of fuel, corruption in relief goods.
Outstanding issues
Waiver on power bills not given in most areas visited despite PM’s promise.
Rapes during flood relief camps not investigated yet.
$10b impact of floods. Food security, infrastructure rehabilitation, and housing rehablitation deadlines and plans not given by govt.
Watan card politicization has not been punished todate.
Nabi dino Wassan making cuts at Tori bund not punished yet.
Funds remain unused – raised in assembly regarding Rs 6.6b in PM fund
National Oversight Disaster Management Council utility questionable.
Red Cross report that despite 6 months after flood, 4 mm peoplewithout adequate shelter.
Seed and fertilizer protests due to politicization
Health of Sukkur barrage needs investigation
No health charge sheet of lingering flood related diseases- needs investigation
Preparedness for winter doubtful – deaths being reported
Next installments on Watan cards doubtful
Breaches not fixed todate admits Sindh Irrigation Minister
Infrastructure damage causing food security issues
Expectations
Punishment on criminal negligence to all respondents
My Prayer
Full compensation for losses to all affected irrespective of political affiliation
Allocation of maintenance, monitoring, upgradation, relief, rescue, rehabilitation monies need full audit by independent sources.
Criminal charges against those responsible for criminal negligence and corruption causing massive damage.
Detailed reasons for each cut made
Annex
Attachment to presentation as evidence
Intentional Breaches in Sindh
After development of a breach in Tori loop bund, Ghouspur loop bund had been breached by irrigation officials themselves to reduce the pressure of water. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 8, 2010)
Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo admitted that, after development of breach in Tori loop bund, cut has been given to Ghouspur loop bund by the irrigation authorities with the consent of the Sindh government to reduce the pressure of the flash flood. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 8, 2010)
According to sources, PML-Q workers led by legislator Mir Abid Sundrani cut a hole in the Makhwani dyke, reducing threat to some areas. (Ref: Reference: Dawn, page 1, Aug 9, 2010)
Despite a decrease in the flow at Guddu, provincial Minister Zahid Ali Bhurgari said the irrigation authorities had decided to cut embankments at two or three places to save residential areas and infrastructure in case the situation worsened. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 10, 2010)
Irrigation official accused of flooding town, villages. Growers of Pithoro town and adjoining villages accused SDO (irrigation) Aslam Qaimkhani of deliberately flooding the town and villages by opening doors of Khipro Canal and let all water rush into distributaries of Pithoro area. (Ref: Dawn, page 5, Aug 15, 2010)
Spurred by a group of villagers irrigation personnel made a breach in Keti Jatoi embankment, a private bund raised to save farmland, on Saturday to reduce pressure at Larkana-Sehwan embankment and protect Dadu and small towns of Pat Sharif, Sita, Pyaro Goth, Phulji and a number of villages.(Ref: Dawn, page 4, Aug 15, 2010)
Khursheed detained for flouting CM’s orders. Pakistan Army took control of the Sukkur Barrage on Monday night as politicians and cabinet ministers squabbled over making a breach in the side canals in a bid to protect major Sindh towns from the advancing floods, Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday. The move came after a federal minister refused to allow the breach as the water that would be discharged would inundate parts of his constituency. A power struggle broke out between Federal Labour Minister Khursheed Shah and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah when the former refused the latter’s orders that a breach be made in Ali Wahan Canal.(Ref: The Nation, http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/11-Aug-2010/Khursheed-detained-for-flouting-CMs-orders , 11 Aug 2010)
Sources alleged that the Sindh irrigation authorities were once again trying to divert water towards Balochistan by breaching the Saifullah Magsi canal. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 17, 2010)
Two breaches have been developed by irrigation officials at RBOD Nullah to protect Sann and Manjhand towns. Irrigation officials developed two breaches at RBOD Nullah in Veeh Dari to reduce pressure at the Sann embankment and protect Manjhand town and parts of Sann. An irrigation official said that two breaches, 20 feet wide each, were created at the nullah, adding that 50,000 cusecs of water was flowing through the breaches, threatening the shrine of Ovais Karni in a mountainous area. (Ref: Dawn, page 5, Aug 17, 2010)
Fresh breaches made in the Begari canal sent torrents of water gushing towards small towns and villages in Qamber-Shahdadkot district on Wednesday, leading to, at times, forced evacuation of thousands of an already traumatised populace. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 19, 2010)
In Dadu, two artificial breaches of 50 feet were made in an embankment at Aghamani-Nau Goth and Aghamani-Nari road to protect three union councils of Mehar taluka, inundating 15 villages. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 19, 2010)
Secretary General of Balochistan PPP has gone public against his party’s federal ministers, Khursheed Shah and Ijaz Jakhrani, holding them responsible for displacement of over one million people and destruction of hundreds of acres of cultivated land in Balochistan.(Ref: The News, 19 Aug 2010)
DCO Ghulam Yaseen Shar told Dawn that a cut had been made in Bhand on Garhi Khairo road to divert the floodwater to the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD-III). Eight more breaches were made on Shahdadkot-Garhi Khairo road, near Umaid Ali Junejo village, on Friday to divert the water to Zero Point through SKT saline drain. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 21, 2010)
“I believe there was American pressure on the authorities to safeguard the Shahbaz airbase,” he (Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali) told Dawn. “Furthermore, it is well known and established that the Jakhranis have a stake in this airbase and the contractors were linked to them,” he said, adding that federal Minister Aijaz Jakhrani also had his land to protect. “I was in Karachi when I was informed that Aijaz Jakhrani along with the local administration and Sindh police were trying to breach the Jamali bypass. I immediately tried to speak to the Sindh and Balochistan administrations, but to no avail,” he said. “Then in the middle of the night, I telephoned Corps Commander Quetta who was kind enough to respond immediately,” Mr Jamali said. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 21, 2010)
Late into the evening, the authorities made a desperate move to cut the road between Shahdadkot and Balochistan to deflect waters off Shahdadkot. (Ref: Dawn. Page 1, Aug 22, 2010)
DCO said that cuts had been made in RBOD-III and Zero-Point to accelerate the flow of water and reduce the threat. He said that troops and navy boats were evacuating people trapped in the area. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 24, 2010)
Dr Sattar said that the PPP’s parliamentarians and ministers had played with people’s lives by deliberately breaching bunds of the river and canals in order to save personal property and farmland. (Ref: Dawn, page 9, Aug 24, 2010)
MPA Najamuddin went to Dhamraho Wah along with influential local people to make a cut to divert water, but supporters of former minister Liaquat Jatoi resisted them. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 28, 2010)
Six breaches were made in a canal on the border between Shahdadkot and Dadu on Saturday in the presence of elected representatives to save the town of Warah from flooding amid resistance from people living on the Dadu side. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 29, 2010)
The local administration and irrigation officials in the presence of PPP leaders made three artificial cuts (breaches) at Garhi Mori to save Mehar town and divert the floodwater towards Supro embankment. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Aug 29, 2010)
At least 70 per cent of Jati town had been submerged and six breaches were made in Mero Khan Mori (canal) to ease pressure on Jati town. From the western side, water was now heading towards Chuhar Jamali town. (Ref: Dawn, page 9. Sep 4, 2010)
Three cuts had already been given in Ladiyoon-Jati road and two more cuts were inflicted and water was diverted towards the sea. (Ref: Dawn, page 9. Sep 4, 2010)
The irrigation authorities on Wednesday made a 40-foot breach in a flood protective embankment near Manchhar lake as part of measures to protect Dadu and Johi towns. The move aims to reduce pressure on a dyke along the Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain. (Ref: Dawn, page 1, Sep 9, 2010)
Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon has called for an inquiry into allegations that wealthy landowners diverted water into unprotected villages during the floods to save their own crops. There was evidence that landowners had allowed embankments to burst and to lead waters flowing away from their land, he said on BBC’s “Hard Talk” programme telecast on Thursday. (Ref: Jang, 3 Sep, 2010)
Intentional Breaches in Punjab
Irrigation officials at Jinnah Barrage told Dawn that water discharge from the reservoir at 8pm was 915,552 cusec – highest ever recorded at Jinnah Barrage. They said that breaches had been made in right and left dykes of the barrage to save it from a total collapse. (Ref: Dawn, 31 Jul, 2010)
In Mianwali, engineers of the irrigation department were struggling to plug a breach on the left embankment of the Indus which had been blown up on Thursday night to save the Jinnah Barrage. The breach has inundated a vast area in the town of Daudkhel. (Ref: Dawn, 2 Aug, 2010)
On the other hand, sources said that the irrigation authorities in the Punjab had diverted water in the Taunsa-Panjnad canal and Muzaffargarh to minimise pressure on the Taunsa but both canals developed breaches and a lot of water was lost. This breach has created trouble for Kot Addu but reduced the intensity of floods coming towards Sindh. (Ref: The Express Tribune, 4 Aug, 2010)
Floodwater hit Kot Addu from two sides on Wednesday. A wave resulting from a breach in the Taunsa spur had hit the western side of the town on Tuesday, followed by breaches in the Muzaffargarh and TP link canals. On Wednesday, a wave from the Indus entered the town from the Noor Shah Talai Road. Some members of the Punjab Assembly based in the area blamed negligence of irrigation officials for flooding in Kot Addu and Daira Din Pannah. (Ref: Dawn, Aug 5, 2010)
MPA Ahmad Yar Hunjra said he had called for breaking the spur No.22 bridge to turn the flood towards the riverside of Taunsa, but irrigation officials refused to do so because of technical problems. MPA Saima Aziz of the Pakistan Muslim League-N alleged that irrigation officials had breached the Muzaffargarh canal in the city area in a bid to save the Kapco power plant. (Ref: Dawn, Aug 5, 2010)
A high flood breached the Kachhi canal bank and broke the siphon on the DG canal, threatening inundation of Dera Ghazi Khan town. However, the water was diverted towards the DG canal, affecting the suburbs of Choti Zarin and Khanpur Munjwala. (Ref: Dawn, 6 Aug 2010)
Irrigation officials breached the Muzaffargarh canal near Head Kalu, which may cause flood in Chowk Qureshi and Ghazi Ghat town. An irrigation official, however, said the department did not make the breach; it had occurred because of an increase in water flow. (Ref: Dawn, 8 Aug 2010)
In Muzaffargarh tehsil, breaches were made in the Tulaihri canal at Kunnal Shareef, Langar Saran and Manjhan Sultan to save the city. Meanwhile, a breach in the Rangpur canal has inundated hundreds of acres.(Ref: Dawn, Aug 9, 2010)
The officer in charge of relief work, Chaudhry Ameen, said that 95 per cent of the city had either been destroyed or inundated by floods. He said that authorities could not assess losses immediately and that a high-level probe should be launched to identify the officials responsible for inundating the city by breaching the flood protection bunds. (Ref: Dawn, Aug 9, 2010)
At the time when the flood-affected people await relief, one of the local MPAs in Tehsil Rojhan has been found busy in dirty politics trying to breach the embankments of his rival politicians’ lands in the area. Atif Mazari, a PML-N MPA from Rojhan, and his brother tried to breach the link-canal in Tehsil Rojhan near Indus Highway, which protected the cultivated lands of the local politicians from the other parties. (Ref: The Nation, 10 Aug, 2010)
Jamshed Dasti says Muzaffargarh was flooded after officials breached embankments at wrong places g PML-Q’s Raza Hiraj accuses Punjab govt of being biased towards flood victims. (Ref: Daily Times, Sep, 4, 2010)
The floods were caused by canal bursts and breaches and by protection bunds giving way, in an area ranging from Mianwali district to Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur. The breaches in the canals were not only caused by the massive volume of water but also by the creation of gaps by the Punjab’s irrigation department for diversion of floodwater. (Ref: The News, “’Nasty fears’ about the Indus”, Article by Noreen Haider, Aug 21, 2010)
TP Canal’s banks were breached by the irrigation department at various other points. The water from TP Canal was drained into Muzaffargarh Canal. That canal, which has the maximum capacity of 8,900 cusecs, could not withstand the resulting surge of 2,000 cusecs and breached at many points. (Ref: The News, “’Nasty fears’ about the Indus”, Article by Noreen Haider, Aug 21, 2010)
The other places where the Punjab irrigation department made breaches in TP Canal include Muhammad Wala, in an attempt to divert the floodwater to Chenab River. The irrigation department states that the breaches were made in order to save PARCO and the KAPCO Power Plant. Breaches were made on Rangpur Canal also. Another breach was made in a section of Muzaffargarh Canal in order to divert its water to Chenab River. The Irrigation Department officials admit that the breaches did not succeed in diverting the floodwaters into Chenab River and contributed to the inundation of Kot Addu and surrounding areas. Breaches were also made in the Talhiri distributory at Ganeshwala in Muzaffargarh, two kilometres from Muzaffargarh town. In various places the breaches, instead of diverting water, created or worsened inundation in towns and villages. (Ref: The News, “’Nasty fears’ about the Indus”, Article by Noreen Haider, Aug 21, 2010)
In Mianwali a relief cut was made in the breach section of the Right Guide Band in order to release pressure at the Jinnah Barrage on the Indus River, but, similarly, it only resulted in the flooding of towns and villages. (Ref: The News, “’Nasty fears’ about the Indus”, Article by Noreen Haider, Aug 21, 2010)
The breach created by the district government on Shreeowala Band, near Kot Chuuta, on the night of Aug 3 affected around 450,000 people of Jampur tehsil`s 225 villages on the right bank of the Indus. The areas from Jampur to Fazalpur are the worst-hit. “For the last four decades or so, we have never seen such a huge flood,” Aslem Rasoolpuri, an advocate, told Dawn. (Ref: Dawn, Sep 9, 2010)
As a preventive measure, authorities have decided to break the dyke near Kot Sabzal to stop floodwater from destroying the national highway in Rahim Yar Khan. (The Express Tribune, 20 Aug, 2010)
The Punjab government alleges that Raiti Canal flowing from Guddu Barrage into Sindh is being breached by the local population in a manner inundating a number of villages of Punjab and threatening life and property in many more villages. (Ref: Dawn, Aug 11, 2010)
Several illegally erected dykes on the barrage’s right bank – set up allegedly to prevent water from flowing into its pond area which has been encroached upon by influential families – caused floods to wreck havoc in settled areas, The Express Tribune has learnt. These influential families include the Khosas and the Khinjras who have allegedly cultivated the pond area land and have established hunting sites there. (The Express Tribune, Sep 9, 2010)
No action has so far been taken against the Irrigation secretary, Malik Rabnawaz and the SDO, Habib Bodla for failing to ensure that the right bank was breached in time so that the flood water gushed into the pond area. Bodla was recently promoted to the post of XEN after allegedly bypassing other candidates. Official sources have disclosed that when the water level in the barrage was increasing the Irrigation secretary, the SDO and the head PMO Qadri, who is a retired chief engineer, could not decide in time whether to breach the right marginal bund (RMB) at no22 high point. (The Express Tribune, Sep 9, 2010)
Video Evidence on Punjab Intentional Breaches
A documentary news report of “The Guardian” on floods in South Punjab on Oct 7, 2010
Reporter speaks with flood affectees in Shah Muslimwala.
Following is the Transcript of the video
Transcript
Flood Affectees: If someone had told us it was coming we could have bought more time.
Translator: Was there any warning?
Flood Affectees: No, no one told us. We fled ourselves.
Translator: Has the water ever come this far before?
Flood Affectees: No. Never.
Translator: So why do you think it’s come now?
Flood Affectees: God knows. It’s all political. It’s our MP who diverted waters.
Translator: Your MP?
Flood Affectees: yes.
Flood Affectees: The people from the irrigation department purposely broke the levee and drowned us. All I know is that the water could never have reached here otherwise.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yl_As2IxaM
Mismanagement and Corruption in Relief and Rehabilitation Efforts
People living in camps in Khairpur and Dadu protested against inadequate supply of food and medicines. (Dawn, page 9, 7 Aug 2010)
Section 144 imposed in Kutcha area of Larkana. (Ref: Dawn, page 9, 7 Aug 2010)
A group of flood victims who reached Nawabshah from Shikarpur were sent out of the district by the administration. Kamil Shar, an elderly man from Khanpur near Shikarpur, told Dawn that his family and relatives had left the area after the flood, but he was very upset that they were being forcibly sent out of Nawabshah. (Ref: Dawn, page 4, Aug 15, 2010)
Khairpur and Dadu flood survivors: 3 toilets for 300 people.( Ref: http://tribune.com.pk/story/39732/khairpur-and-dadu-flood-survivors-3-toilets-for-300-people/ ET 16 Aug)
There are only 700 people at a relief camp on the outskirts of Karachi even though it has the capacity for 20,000.(Ref: Business Recorder, Aug 31, 2010)
56 IDPs fall ill after eating stale food in Karachi camps.(Ref: Dawn, page 2, Sep 7, 2010)
Survivors in almost all the flood-affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa complained on Friday that the authorities and elected representatives preferred their own relatives and supporters while distributing relief items. (Ref: The News, 7 Aug 2010)
Also, hundreds of flood-affected people staged a demonstration against the non-availability of relief goods to them outside the tehsil municipal administration office. Police baton-charged the starved people and six protesters sustained injuries. Flood victims also complained about nepotism in the distribution of relief goods as the aid is being distributed through MPAs. (Ref: Aug 9, 2010)
Despite such a large-scale calamity, the health authorities have just two ambulances. Dr Javed, of Tehsil Headquarters hospital (Jampur), said gastro and skin diseases were common among the flood affected people while a large number of people living on dykes had no medical facilities. (Ref
The people in Rojhan have no access to clean drinking water, food and shelter for past seven days due to heavy floods.(Ref: The Nation, Aug 10, 2010)
The government and local clerics refused to shelter around 500 flood-affected families belonging to the Ahmadiya community in South Punjab’s relief camps. Not only that, the government also did not send relief goods to the flood-hit areas belonging to the Ahmadiya community, The Express Tribune has learnt during a visit to the devastated Punjab districts of Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.( Ref: The Express Tribune, Aug 18, 2010)
Hundreds of flood affected people protested against ‘wrong’ distribution of food in Muzaffargarh city on Thursday. Protesters, including women, blocked Kutchery Road and raised slogans against government officials over mismanagement during food distribution.( Ref: Dawn., Aug 20, 2010)
The district administration seems failing to distribute relief goods transparently among the flood victims and political connections have become order of the day in relief camps in Rahim Yar Khan.(Ref: Dawn. 24 Aug, 2010)
PML-N MPA Maiza Hameed also distributed two trucks of food and medicines among the victims at Dera Musheer camp. Later, it emerged that these relief goods were provided by NGOs. Dawn also learnt that a PML-F leader got 70 tents from District Officer Coordination Chaudhry Aslam, who is also in charge of Dera Musheer camp When PML-N MPA Safdar Gill, who is in charge of relief activities in Rahim Yar Khan, came to know about this, he seized 45 tents from the PML-F leader. (Ref: Dawn. 24 Aug, 2010)
On the verbal orders of the district officers, over 5,000 effectees, including aged women, men and children, were expelled from relief camps established in various educational institutions of the city after Eidul Fitr. The depressed families alleged that their belongings were thrown out and the rooms where they were staying had been locked without any notice. The unexpected and shocking treatment made the victims helpless as most of them belong to Ghazi Ghat, Jampur, Kot Addu, Shero, Gujrat, Baseera, Ghausabad and ther flooded areas.(Ref: The News, Sep 17, 2010)
Flood victims from all over Southern Punjab have complained about nepotism and corruption regarding the distribution of ‘Watan Cards’ in their respective districts. (Ref: The Express Tribune, Sep 4, 2010)
Cash being collected by Punjab Baboos, without receipts. No bank account set up, politicians in the dark. The Punjab govt is privately collecting only ‘cash’ donations for flood victims and targets have been given to subordinate officers by top bureaucrats, but there is the great fear that most of this cash will disappear., (Ref: The News, Aug 7, 2010)
Watan Card holders (in South Punjab) have complained that they were being forced into selling their cards for up to Rs10,000 as mot of the ATM machines were non-functional or out of cash. (Ref: The Express Tribune: 5 Nov 2010)
Some people are buying used Watan Visa Cards from flood affected people of Muzaffargarh against attractive amount Rs 80,000 each, motorcycles and even tractors. A source said these buyers were working for a big mafia and they would use these cards in Arab and Gulf counties to get relief and compensation from donors. (Ref: Dawn, 3 Nov 2010 )
Lawmakers cashing in on Watan Cards. “ They used the cards as tool to garner support of voters as the relief money is going elsewhere leaving the deserving people high and dry,: sources alleged in Peshawar Chardadda. “ The people, who have ties with MNAs, MPAs or office bearers of the ruling parties can get these cards easily, otherwise you have to wait or strike a deal with the agents,” said M Wali a resident of Nowshera Kalan. (Ref: Dawn, 31 Oct 2010)
They said the “agents” of the revenue department were making thriving business by charging Rs5, 000 to Rs10, 000 per card from the recipients. (Ref: Dawn, 31 Oct 2010 )
They Need quick relief: Watan Cards being sold at nominal price. Govt has received reports that many flood affected families have sold their unscrupulous persons to get immediate relief. A senior NADRA official told that “those who have sold their cards got Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 from the purchasers.” (Ref: Dawn, 29 Oct 2010 )
Hundreds of people from flood-affected areas in Muzaffargarh demonstrated against Nadra and the district administration, calling for immediate delivery of Watan Cards. (Ref: Dawn, 28 Oct 2010 )
PA to MNA Dr. Talat Mashesar was arrested on charges of attacking a Nadra registration centre in Mehar town, injuring staff and snatching away tokens of registration for Watan Cards and cash. (Ref: Dawn, 28 Oct 2010 )
Flood hit villager yet to receive Watan Cards. The residents of Mohib Banda, one of the most affected villages in recent floods have appealed to the govt to provide them the Watan Cards and proper relief tithing two days as otherwise they would start a protest drive for their right. (Ref: The News, 21 Oct)
The district administration has ordered to conduct an inquiry regarding alleged irregularities in the distribution of Watan Cards among the flood-hit people. (Ref: The News , 17 Oct)
A shutter down strike was observed in Shahdadkot on the call of the JSQM in protest against ignoring people of the town in issuing Watan Cards. (Ref: Dawn, 16 Oct )
Watan Card seekers baton charged. Some persons were injured when police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton charge on a group of flood affectees at Nadra office in Thatta. (Ref: The News 4 Oct)
At least 27 flood victims sustained injuries in a stampede during the distribution of Watan Cards outside a relief centre established at the Govt High School Nowshera. (Ref: The News 30 Sep)
ATMs playing havoc with flood victims in Muzaffarghar. (Ref: The News 28 Sep)
Policemen among 6 officials hurt. Flood hit villagers storm watan card centre in Mianwali. (Ref: Dawn, 24 Sep )
Many flood victims not given Watan Cards in Multan and Muzaffarghar said HRCP. (Ref: Dawn, 23 Sep)
Police baton charge , fire at flood affectees. At least 11 persons were injured when police baton charged and opened fire at flood affectees protesting in Sukkur and Mianwali against mismanagement in the distribution of Watan Cards.( Ref: Dawn, 25 Sep )
Flood hit people stage sit-in in DGK to protest delay in their registration fro the distribution of Watan Cards. (Ref: Dawn 25 Sep )
Watan Card Seekers stage demo in Mianwali. (Ref: Dawn, 20 sep )
NADRA being pressured to include names of undeserving people said Deputy Chairman of NADRA Tariq Malik. (Ref: Dawn, 19 Sep )
Many deserving people may be left out to get Watan Cards in Muzaffargarh. (Ref: Dawn, 18 Sep D)
Flood victims staying in government schools have refused to leave for their homes as the Sindh government has set September 20 deadline for their return. (Ref: The News, 16 Sep 2010)
The Tehrik Bahali Sailan Zadagan regretted the flood victims were denied second installment of financial assistance through Watan Cards, hurling a threat to the government that the victims would start march towards Islamabad from Multan by the end of March if the installment was not released. (Ref: The Nation, 25 Jan 2011)
Delay in providing freed seed and fertliser to flood hit population brought a large number of people on roads who took out a procession from the city bypass to Moro Press Club. (Ref: Dawn, 29 Dec 2010)
Flood hit grower of different villages of taluka Johi staged demonstration in Khudabad in protest against Mukhtiarkar Johi and DCO Dadu for not providing them seed and fertilizer. Arbelo Rodhnani accused the Mukhtiarkar of Johi of selling 6,000 bags of wheat seed and fertilizer. (Ref Dawn, 14 Jan 2011)
Over 150,000 flood affected people of Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka are desperately awaiting tents, warm clothes and other relief goods form the government to protect themselves from the clod spell. (Ref: Dawn, 13 Dec 2010)
The government neglected genuine flood survivors and distributed relief goods and Watan Cards among undeserving people, alleged Khanzada Amir Masood, a social worker from Dera Ismail Khan, here on Thursday.(Ref: Dawn, Jan 21, 2010)
The flood affected people of Pashtun Garhi village have called upon the federal and provincial governments to provide them Watan Cards till Nov 30 after which they threatened to block G.T. Road. (Ref: Dawn, Nov 22, 2010)
Tall Claims of CMs/ Accountability Needed
90% survivors received Watean Cards claims Sindh CM. (Ref: Dawn Jan 3, 2011)
The Punjab government claims that distribution of Watan cards among the flood-affected people has almost been completed and 95 per cent calamity-stricken people have received the assistance through this transparent process.(Ref: Dawn, 22 Nov 2010)
Deaths in Camps
Two children die of diseases at IDPs relief camps in Karachi. (Ref: Dawn. Page 2, Aug 17, 2010)
Gastroenteritis outbreak, three more children die at IDPs camp in Karachi (Ref: Dawn, page 3, Aug 19, 2010)
Three year old IDP, two newborns die in camps in Karachi. (Ref: Dawn, page 2, Aug 24, 2010)
Five children, woman die of gastroenteritis in Jamshoro and Dadu district.
Two women die in flour handout stampede in Karachi. (Ref: Dawn, page 2, Aug 21, 2010)
Five children, woman die of gastroenteritis in Jamshoro and Dadu district.(Ref: Dawn, page 9, Aug 24, 2010)
More then 800 patients of gastroenteritis were admitted to government hospitals of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur while one child died of the disease in Taunsa Sharif tehsil, it is learnt. (Ref: Dawn, Aug 15, 2010)
Four children died of gastroenteritis on Monday in Vehari. (Ref: Dawn, 24 Aug, 2010)
A female flood victim was reportedly raped by an influential person in Bhitt Shah.The woman, identified as Hani, who hailed from Thul, lodged a complaint with the Bhitt Shah police that she was staying in a relief camp in Bhitt Shah after her village was submerged by floodwaters. (Ref: The News, 20 Sep 2010)
Four year old Mirzadi who had been livingin Camps in Dadu die of cold. (Ref: Dawn, Jan 25, 2011)
A three year old boy died and four members of this flood affected familiy were injured in a tent in M Nawaz Badani village near Kandhkot caught fire. (Ref: Dawn, Jan 17, 2011)
Cold heath toll rises to 12: an elderly man and a minor gild died of cold in a flood relief camp set up at the water supply shcemee in Thul, Jacobabd. (Ref: Dawn, Jan 15, 2011)
With two more weather related deaths, the toll of flood victims living in the open, reached five in nine days in Dadu. (Ref: Dawn 14 December, 2010)
Transsexual differences caught on brain scan
Differences in the brain's white matter that clash with a person's genetic sex may hold the key to identifying transsexual people before puberty. Doctors could use this information to make a case for delaying puberty to improve the success of a sex change later.
Medics are keen to find concrete physical evidence to help those children who feel they are trapped in the body of the opposite sex. One key brain region involved is the BSTc, an area of grey matter. But the region is too small to scan in a living person so differences have only been picked up at post-mortem.
Antonio Guillamon's team at the National University of Distance Education in Madrid, Spain, think they have found a better way to spot a transsexual brain. In a study due to be published next month, the team ran MRI scans on the brains of 18 female-to-male transsexual people who'd had no treatment and compared them with those of 24 males and 19 females.
They found significant differences between male and female brains in four regions of white matter – and the female-to-male transsexual people had white matter in these regions that resembled a male brain (Journal of Psychiatric Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.05.006). "It's the first time it has been shown that the brains of female-to-male transsexual people are masculinised," Guillamon says.
In a separate study, the team used the same technique to compare white matter in 18 male-to-female transsexual people with that in 19 males and 19 females. Surprisingly, in each transsexual person's brain the structure of the white matter in the four regions was halfway between that of the males and females (Journal of Psychiatric Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.11.007). "Their brains are not completely masculinised and not completely feminised, but they still feel female," says Guillamon.
Guillamon isn't sure whether the four regions are at all associated with notions of gender, but Ivanka Savic-Berglund at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, thinks they might be. One of the four regions – the superior longitudinal fascicle – is particularly interesting, she says. "It connects the parietal lobe [involved in sensory processing] and frontal lobe [involved in planning movement] and may have implications in body perception."
A 2010 study of 121 transgender people found that 38 per cent realised they had gender variance by age 5. White matter differences could provide independent confirmation that such children might benefit from treatment to delay puberty.
A study by Sean Deoni's team at King's College London suggests it may soon be possible to look for these differences in such children. Deoni's team adapted an MRI scanner to be as quiet as possible so it could be used to monitor the development of white matter in sleeping infants. Using new image analysis software they could track when and where myelin – the neuron covering that makes white matter white – was laid down (Journal of Neuroscience, vol 31, p 784). Although the sample was too small to identify any gender differences in development, Deoni expects to see differences developing in the brain "by 2 or 3 years of age".
Guillamon thinks such scans may not help in all cases. "Research has shown that white matter matures during the first 20 to 30 years of life," he says. "People may experience early or late onset of transsexuality and we don't know what causes this difference."
Virtual blood and smoke give gore to student surgeons
SPILT blood and burning flesh can now be modelled accurately. But you won't find the software in a gory shoot-'em-up video game, at least not yet. Instead it will used to make virtual surgery look more lifelike.
Like airline pilots, surgeons practise their trade using simulators. For keyhole surgery routines they use a dummy torso with mock organs and a variety of grasping, cutting and cauterising tools. Transducers in the organs sense the forces exerted by the instruments and feed them to a PC, which screens a virtual representation of how real organs would respond.
But merely simulating how the organs respond to the tools and move against each other in real time takes up most of a top-end PC's number-crunching power, says Suvranu De, an engineer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. That means other important aspects of surgery have to go unmodelled, reducing the realism of the simulation.
"Intra-abdominal tissue has a very high density of blood vessels. When a cauterising device cuts it, copious amounts of smoke are generated and bleeding may occur. These effects are hard to incorporate in a simulation," says De. That's because such simulations would involve solving fluid dynamics equations every time the blood or smoke moves, something existing technology takes several hours to do.
To get around this problem, De's team has developed a technique that instead overlays pre-programmed visual effects onto the simulations.
First, they took sample video footage from real keyhole surgery showing how smoke can obscure the surgeon's view. These clips were of both the dense smoke coming from the tip of the cauterising tool and the wispy smoke further away.
They stored these sequences and wrote an algorithm that enables the PC's graphics processor to call them up whenever the cauterising tool is used. The software updates the overlaid images at a rate of 30 frames per second - fast enough to give an interactive feel to the simulation. The smoke density in each image depends upon the length of time the tool is used as well as distance from the cauterised site.
To simulate the degree of bleeding, another algorithm consults a database of the vascular density at the point of interest in the body. It then estimates the likely bleeding rate, depending on the depth of the surgeon's cut, and brings up animation sequences of the appropriate amount of pooling blood to overlay on the simulation.
The team hopes to refine the software further to improve its realism - and could even transfer it to video games. "This is a very clever way to do it," says Vincent Luboz at Imperial College London, who works on surgery simulators. But he adds that the technique is more suited to general training than to rehearsing an operation on a particular patient.
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