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District ’s Post Flood Rapid Assessment

Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development About This Report This report presents an overview of flood 2014 in with a particular focus on scenario of district Sialkot ( Province). The key findings in report are derived from Post Flood Rapid Assessment conducted by a non-government organization namely Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development. Along with using available authentic secondary data, the assessment team collected relevant information by interviewing a) flood-stricken people, b) focal persons from key departments of district government/administration, c) local media personnel, d) workers of rescue and relief departments/agencies, e) local activists and volunteers, and f) representatives of local civil society organizations.

Brief Demography of Sialkot Sialkot is one of big districts of Punjab in the north-east side at the foothills of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the . It is situated in north-west of with a distance of about 125 kilometers and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled . The district spreads over an area of 3,061 square kilometers. Its total estimated population is 4,017,821; whereas rural population is 2,965,481 (74%) and urban population is 1,052,340 (26%). The district consists of four tehsils namely Sialkot, , and . Similarly it comprises on 129 union councils with a total of 1,431 revenue villages (Mouzas). It is situated at an altitude of 829 feet above sea level. It stretches from Ravi valley on the south- east to the Chenab River on the north-west. River Chenab separates it from .

About Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development is non-for profit, non-political, non-religious and non-government organization which has been striving hard for social uplift of underprivileged communities regardless of any discrimination. It is legally registered with government of the Punjab through directorate of social welfare under Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control Ordinance, 1961). Since its inception in 2001, the organization has played an inspiring role towards development of people in province Punjab. It has been pursuing its vision by undertaking a ray of activities in line with its strategic objectives. So far it has played a remarkable role in improving lives of downtrodden communities by fostering economic empowerment, building capacities, promoting human rights, raising awareness, promoting environmental sustainability, delivering basic services, helping out in emergencies and discouraging gender disparity. It has been further leaping forward to empower citizens by establishing networks particularly for community and youth, exploring new avenues for development, and enabling people particularly marginalized communities to make them self-reliant. (For more information about this organization, please visit www.gtopak.org)

1. Flood Situation in Country (Particularly in Punjab Province)

Pakistan, by virtue of its unique geographical layout is susceptible to a number of hazards. Amongst these flood is the most recurrent one. Its frequency and effects have significantly hampered country’s goal of sustained economic growth. Over the past 67 years, Pakistan has suffered a cumulative financial loss of more than US$37.554 billion with around 11,572 people having lost their lives and a total area of 603,942 square kilometer affected due to 21 major flood events1. The on-going flood 2014 is the fifth in series of colossal floods after 1973, 1988, 1992 and 2010 floods. Owing to global climate change, there has been a remarkable increase in frequency of floods and variation in monsoon behaviour in the country.

Late monsoon rains earlier this month hit the mountainous areas of Gilgit-Balitstan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, unleashing a torrent of water flowing into Punjab’s agricultural heartlands and Sindh thereafter (these days). Swollen River Chenab has breached flood defenses along with sweeping away thousands of villages as this “super-flood” surged south, wreaking havoc in Punjab and Sindh, the country’s most populous and agricultural provinces. Although flood water has now entered in Sindh (River Indus); however it has rendered unrecoverable loss of lives, health, livestock, houses, crops and other property of people in Punjab at a huge scale. During this flood, a large area of Punjab has been affected. As a result thousands of people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands are at risk. Unfortunately during this flood, some of the areas affected are those which have never faced such circumstances. These areas include , Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Sialkot, Jhang, Chiniot and Multan. This flood is therefore said to be the worst and the disastrous of the Pakistan’s history. It is expected that a huge crisis including lack of food and health related issues will be faced in these districts.

In Punjab province, the flood and accompanied by torrential rains has wreaked a colossal damage to human life, health and property (particularly crops, livestock and houses). According to the daily situation reports of National Disaster Management Authority, near 269 people have been died and 465 are injured in Punjab due to flood and rains2. Approximately 41,388 houses were ravaged and 3,090 villages were submerged. The affected people had to face loss of 1,307 livestock died/drowned amid this flood/rain season. Farmers lost 2,344,173 acres of crops and have become helpless as agriculture was main source to earn bread and butter for their families. Around 3,090 villages are reported submerged and badly hit by this overwhelming catastrophe. In general, a total of estimated 1,735,893 persons were affected by these floods and rains by one or other way. Education sector is also badly affected by this disaster. According to a recent report prepared by the Punjab School Education Department and share with Provincial Disaster Management Authority, around 1,854 government schools have been fully or partially damaged (excluding private schools)3. Please refer to annexure 1 for district- wise flood related statistics of Punjab.

1 National Monsoon Contingency Plan 2014 available at http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/moonsoon2014.pdf 2 http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/sitrep-21-9-14.pdf 3 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-272791-Floods-damage-1854-schools-across-Punjab 2. A Snapshot of Flood and its Devastation in District Sialkot

In start of September 2014, the Flood Forecasting Division of Pakistan issued a flood warning to all the concerned government departments of Sialkot putting them on red alert and asked them to make all the necessary arrangements on emergency grounds to avert the recurring flood disaster in . This is because a high level flood was expected in River Chinab, River Tawi, Nullah Aik, Nullah Dek and Nullah Palkhu. This flood forecast proved very much accurate. Eventually on 4th of September, the roaring flood came with its full power and caused a widespread devastation everywhere. The flood was highly overwhelming with up to more than 660,000 cusec of water and water level of four-to-five feet. Although devastation and havoc was prevailing in many areas of district; however as many as 85 far off bordering villages remained cut off from rest of Sialkot district due to flash floods in overflowing River Chenab, River Tawi and River Jammu Munaawar. Hundreds of people were lying stranded there in Bajwat villages, and were difficult to reach. This was considerably tough and dangerous for rescue teams to evacuate and provide relief to those persons.

According to the daily situation reports regularly shared by National Disaster Management Authority, 37 people have been died and 23 were injured in district due to flood and continuous rains. The affected people had to face loss of 114 livestock died/drowned amid this flood/rain season. Farmers lost 53,639 acres of crops and have become helpless as agriculture was main source to earn bread and butter for their families. Around 190 villages are reported submerged and badly hit by this overwhelming catastrophe. In general, a total of estimated 83,000 people were affected by these floods and rains by one or other way. More than 1,835 houses were fully or partially damaged rendering people to live without proper houses or in homes of their relatives. Among these houses 90 were completely destroyed while 170 were partially damaged. Education sector is also badly affected by this disaster. According to a recent report prepared by the Punjab School Education Department with shared with Provincial Disaster Management Authority, around 102 government schools have been fully or partially damaged. However the interviewed people shared that loss is greater than these statistics4. Please refer to annexure 1 for tabular statistics of flood in Sialkot.

However there is dissimilarity in between above reported statistics and findings of our assessment. According to our sources/respondents and information collected, the loss (caused by flood) is greater than above reported statistics. Findings of our assessment reveal that nearly 550 villages of 48 union councils are hit by flood, around 125,000 families are affected. Similarly 1,200 livestock animals are perished, and approximately 22,800 acres of land is destroyed where crops of basmati rice and sugarcane mainly were cultivated. In general, estimated 750,000 persons are affected through one or other way. Flood-affected people’s system of life has been paralyzed rendering people in state of trauma. Sources of income and assets of people have been destroyed, and many of the people are now looking for external assistance enabling them to resume their lives.

4 http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/sitrep-21-9-14.pdf 3. Preparedness and Response to Flood in Sialkot

Past four consecutive years of flooding in Pakistan has strengthened the need for integrated plans for better disaster management. Some progress has been made in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in development processes. Formulation of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy and implementation of National Disaster Management Plan are a major part of this progress. Following directions laid down in National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy, the government departments of all districts are supposed to develop and implement their contingency plans promptly at district level. The administration and government departments of district Sialkot also undertaken several initiatives, a few among them are as under:

1. Sialkot district has been divided into 22 sectors to avert the recurring flood threats under a foolproof flood protection plan besides establishing as many as 33 flood relief centers in Sialkot district’s all the four tehsils (e.g. Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur). 2. Following the high level flood warning issued by the Flood Forecasting Division of Pakistan, the district administration and all relevant departments were put on red alert and asked to make all the necessary arrangements on emergency grounds to avert the recurring floods. 3. District administration and government departments developed necessary coordination with other stakeholders for responding to this dreadful flood. These stakeholders include but limited to: civil society organizations, social activists and volunteers, welfare organizations, and journalists. The stakeholders played an important role in rescue and relief activities. 4. District administration made public announcements through loudspeakers of local mosques urging people to remain alert. According to senior officials of the Sialkot Irrigation Department, the flood water splashed over the banks of flash flooded River Chenab near Sambrial due to which hundreds of acres of land was inundated. 5. The District Coordination Officer declared flood emergency in Sialkot district following instructions of Punjab government and considering magnitude as well as potential impacts of this deadly disaster. The government launched full scale rescue and relief operations. was called in to assist the district administration in the flood-hit areas for evacuation and rescue purposes. 6. Medical facilities were also provided to people, and 18,019 flood affected patients were given treatment e.g. checked by doctors and provided with medicines. The medical camps were also arranged by some relief organizations including Al-Khidmat Foundation and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundaiton. 7. Around 1,500 cooked and dry food packages were distributed among the flood affectees with support of Al-Khidmat Foundation. Similarly few other local organizations were also distributing cooked and dry food. 8. A total of 35 flood relief camps were established for providing immediate relief to flood- affected people. The lives of people were saved by prompt rescue activities; around 2,509 persons were evacuated from flood. Vaccination was arranged for livestock of flood affected people, and 576,073 livestock animals were vaccinated to protect them from diseases5.

5 http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/sitrep-21-9-14.pdf 4. Existing Gap: The Current Situation/Issues of Flood Affected People

Devastating flood has paralyzed system of life in affected areas. Almost all aspects of people’s life have been partially or fully interrupted. Situation of a few aspects is discussed below: a) Outbreak of life-threatening diseases: Irrespective of deaths and injuries reported above, the post flood situation is getting dismal with reference to status of people’s health particularly in villages of Bajwat, Head Marala, Chaprar and Pasrur. A huge number of people has encountered and many are further prone to water-borne and vector-borne disease e.g. gastro, fungus, high fever, cholera, scabies, diarrhea and malaria etc. The measures taken by Health Department against situation are insufficient. The doctors at the free medical camps established by local NGOs, said, “flood related diseases are rapidly spreading in Sialkot flood-hit villages, and women along with children are becoming victim of the diseases”. The snake-biting incidents were also on the rise as 15 such cases had been reported in the last few days. b) Living without proper Shelters: Affected families have been displaced and shifted to schools and other public buildings; while some people are living with their relatives who were safe from flood. Many of married women, girls and children are shifted in nearest safe places and staying with their relatives. Few of people are still living in temporary camps. In some camps and areas still affected, the population is waiting for sufficient food items. These people are also waiting for rehabilitation of their houses so that they could live with their families. c) Full stop to Education: The education in flood affected areas has been hampered badly. Around 102 government schools have been fully and/or partially damaged, while 54 other are still closed due to upheaval caused by flood. Similarly many of private schools are also damaged and closed, and currently not providing education to children. A widespread destruction has been found in some of visited schools which require proper rehabilitation for resuming education delivery. To ascertain the exact damage estimate of each school, the detailed assessment of schools will be conducted later as flood water is removed from all areas. d) Poor State of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: In most of flood-hit areas, many of the water resources have been adversely affected. They are either filled with mud or have been contaminated. The people in those areas therefore lack proper access to safe drinking water. The situation of sanitation facilities and practices is also depressing. The people overwhelmingly rural in nature were already facing scarcity of sanitation facilities; the catastrophe however completely ruined sanitation system where existed. The practices of open defecation are prevalent. Hygiene situation too, is nothing different rather highly miserable. Use of soap, cutting nails, combing hair and brushing teeth is damn scarce.

Depressing Condition of Livelihood (Agriculture and Livestock): Rural areas of district are mainly dependent on agriculture and livestock rearing. A big portion of cultivated crops (particularly of basmati rice and sugarcane) has been inundated. However current standing crops - in some areas - are still flooded with water. Similarly the livestock is also getting sick and their fodder has been washed away with flood water. 5. Current Needs and Proposed Recommendations

Though shocking flood has ruined almost all resources of flood-hit people; there is hereby immediate need to enable those people resume their lives by providing them with relief and rehabilitation services. In this respect, the following needs should be considered on priority basis for tailoring as well as implementing relief and rehabilitation response plan: a) Health and Nutrition

1) The capacity of district Health Department is insufficient for reaching all flood-patients and giving them necessary medical treatment along with provision of free medicines. This is because influx of patients is too high. Additional medical camps should therefore be arranged properly equipped with medicines, medical instruments and qualified staff. 2) The patients facing communicable diseases should be immediately treated so that transmission of those diseases (to other persons) could be timely prevented. 3) Though outbreak of water-borne and vector-borne diseases have been found in those areas. It is therefore imperative to raise awareness among people regarding preventive measures to keep them protected from these diseases. 4) Mother and child health care services are insufficient and an acute need has been felt to provide these services on immediate basis. So it is strongly recommended to establish a mechanism and/or a standstill facility where to provide mother and child care health services exclusively. The services may include natal, ante natal, post natal and other related services. 5) Stocked grain/food of people has been washed away in flood. The people should therefore be provided with sufficient cooked and dry food for their survival. Nutritional food for pregnant women and lactating mothers along with babies and neonates is hereby strongly suggested so that mal-nutritional issues could be addressed effectively. b) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

1) Though sources of water (at household and community level) have been damaged and/or contaminated. It is therefore highly necessary to provide safe drinking water to people for preventing them to use unfit water and keep them protected from water-borne diseases. 2) Aqua tabs/boxes and other locally applicable material can be distributed among people enabling them to purify water before they drink. Similarly they can be guided to different water treatment methods (including chlorination) for purification of water. 3) Low cost latrines (e.g. pit latrines) at household level and community latrines at village level should be constructed so that people could meet their sanitation needs and avoid open defecation. 4) Foul water and debris (particularly of animals) should be removed from flood-hit areas for protecting human health and environment from further harm. 5) Hygiene kits should be distributed among people, and they should be given orientation on proper use of those kits. These kits should entail all material which is necessary for personal hygiene, food hygiene and respiratory hygiene. 6) Adequate health and hygiene sessions should be organized in villages to make people aware of good health and hygiene practices. In these sessions, a particular emphasis should be placed on hand washing with soap in critical times, use of latrine instead of open defecation, and drinking safe/purified water. c) Shelter/Housing

Though houses of many people have been fully or partially damaged, and many of them have been living with their relatives at safe places even in locally established camps. It is therefore needed to construct and/or rehabilitate houses of people so that they could revert to their homes. However all the construction should be based on guiding principles of disaster risk reduction. Meanwhile temporary shelter arrangements (e.g. tents, shelters, shades) can be made to properly accommodate displaced people. Shelter kits can also be provided to people. Provision of cash grant for shelters can also be a good option enabling people to construct and/or rehabilitate their houses by themselves. d) Livestock/Poultry

1) The lives of animals and livestock have been equally interrupted by flood. The grassy and agriculture land was a major source for diet of livestock which has been ruined by flood. The livestock animal have been facing acute hunger. It is therefore suggested to provide fodder, Vanda and other feed to livestock on immediate basis. 2) Efforts should be made to protect livestock from life-threatening disease. In this respect, deworming and vaccination is needed along with arrangements for acto-parasites injections, spray for ticks, treatment for extra heat victimization, enterotoxaemia and immunization for large and small animals. 3) Livestock shed have been ravaged in flood, and therefore should be constructed and/or rehabilitated to protect livestock from harsh weather conditions.

Annexure 1 Consolidated Loss Caused by Floods/Rains in Districts of Punjab House Villages Affected Cattle Schools S Districts Death Injured Damaged Affected Acres Crops Perished Damaged 1 Rawalpindi 13 2 101 23 18739 118 0 2 Attock 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Chakwal 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 Jhelum 13 11 4599 349 19183 50 150 5 Gujranwala 7 0 1236 70 22650 27 73 6 Gujrat 6 11 718 72 18187 472 60 7 Hafizabad 16 0 0 155 170202 34 162 8 Mandi Bahauddin 6 0 904 103 206000 462 98 9 Narowal 17 20 828 262 30450 2 121 10 Sialkot 37 23 1835 190 53,639 114 102 11 Khushab 0 3 421 54 77235 0 12 12 Sargodha 12 31 730 222 180194 6 130 13 14 31 10 0 3495 11 0 14 Jhang 10 0 20500 413 814047 0 280 15 Chiniot 8 0 1769 148 130000 0 138 16 T.T. Singh 3 0 179 59 23852 1 0 17 Lahore 28 68 45 0 11030 0 5 18 Kasur 17 34 36 0 0 0 0 19 Sheikhupura 13 47 55 180 35575 0 238 20 4 21 0 0 14456 0 32 21 Sahiwal 0 0 36 56 11586 0 1 22 Okara 8 57 3059 36 11000 9 70 23 1 2 8 0 0 0 4 24 Multan 21 0 0 121 113859 0 0 25 Khanewal 2 8 967 80 60920 0 18 26 0 0 0 2 32 0 5 27 Vehari 3 0 0 0 58 0 0 28 Muzaffargarh 2 17 845 399 202118 0 145 29 Rajanpur 0 0 0 0 10000 0 0 30 0 75 2505 61 49196 0 7 31 Rahim Yar Khan 3 1 0 35 35587 0 0 32 Bahawalnagar 1 3 1 0 20883 0 3 Total 269 465 41388 3090 2344173 1307 1854

Annexure 2

Contact Details of District Government’s Focal Persons

The below table presents contact details of all relevant persons/departments of Sialkot’s district government6:

S. No Focal Person/Department Phone Number Fax/Email 1 DCO 0092-52-9250451,9240452 [email protected] 2 TMO Sialkot 0092-52-9250148 0092-52-9250139 3 TMO Daska 0092-52-9200052 0092-52-9200055 4 TMO Pasrur 0092-52-9200055 0092-52-6441362 5 TMO Sambrial 0092-52-6521718 0092-52-451693 6 EDO(H) 0092-529250066 0092-529250076 7 DOH 0092-529250062 8 DHDC 0092-529250075 9 MS AIM Hospital 0092-529250062 10 Govt.Serdar Bagum Hospital 0092-529250128, 9250129 11 THQ Daska 0092-526-613444 12 THQ Pasrur 0092-526-442424 13 RHC Khaial Kahlian 0092-524-641494 14 RHC Kotli Loharan 0092-523-530359 15 RHC 0092-526-204241 16 RHC 0092-524-003862 17 RHC Sambrial 0092-526-6521529 18 DMO 0092-52-9250432 19 EDOs (Edu) 0092-52-9250194 20 DO Agriculture 0092-52-9250311, 9250311 0092-52-9250312 21 Rescue Rescue 15 22 Rescue Rescue 1122 23 Fire Brigade 16 24 Rail Inquiry 117

6 http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RAIN%20FLOODS%202014%20SIALKOT%20PUNJAB.pdf Annexure 3

Names and Population of UCs in District Sialkot

The below table presents names and population of all union councils under respective tehsils of district Sialkot7:

Sialkot 14 Ballagan 27,857 S. No UC Name Population 15 Verowala 20,877 1 Muzafferpur 37,370 16 Baddoke 17,966 2 Kotli Behram 40,427 17 Kharolian 18,269 3 Miana Pura 29,565 18 Begowala (Partly) 15,997 4 Model Town 36,184 Total of Tehsil Sambrial 436,211 5 Water Works 34,539 Daska 6 Muhammad Pura 30,061 S. No UC Name Population 7 Shah Syedan 34,374 1 Model Town 26,713 8 Karimpura 30,727 2 Haque Pura 28,248 9 Ahmadpura 34,221 3 Main Bazar 29,971 10 Pura Heeran 35,031 4 Younisabad 31,959 11 Neka Pura 29,741 5 Daska Kalan 32,597 12 Habibpura 29,300 6 Jamke Cheema 29,748 13 Imam Sahib 29,236 7 18,156 14 Shohabpura 40,397 8 Kandan Sian 29,282 15 Haji Pura 32,662 9 Mitranwali 24,273 16 Fatehgarh 36,427 10 Goindke 26,654 17 Kotli Loharan 27,699 11 Raja Ghuman 28,574 18 Sialkot Cantt. 95,163 12 Galotian Khurd 28,439 19 Phuklian 33,325 13 Galotian Kalan 29,023 20 Kotli Lohara (Partly) 6,698 14 Cheema 30,325 21 Kachhiman 32,554 15 Akbar 24,503 22 Gondal 38,609 16 Salhoke 27,153 23 Head Marala 35,647 17 Bharthanwala 25,687 24 Pindin Khokharan 31,233 18 Satrach 29,176 25 Kharoata Syedan 38,480 19 Bhagatpur 27,094 26 Sheehni 37,160 20 29,855 27 Chapprar 35,357 21 Wadhala Sandhwan 31,802 28 Plaural Kalan 34,105 22 Budha Goraya 33,078 29 Kammanwakla 37,312 23 Alomahar 26,646 30 Bharath 39,444 24 32,253

7 http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RAIN%20FLOODS%202014%20SIALKOT%20PUNJAB.pdf 31 Dallowali 37,838 25 Sehjokala 27,937 32 Rasoolpur 35,443 26 Peero Chak 29,802 33 Langeriali 26,255 27 Bogray 27,152 34 Syedanwali 32,692 28 Malo Mahay 24,754 35 Bhagowal 29,535 29 Kanwan Litt. 32,687 36 Talwara Mughalan 28,256 Total of Tehsil Daska 823,541 37 Pindi Araiyan 27,505 Pasrur 38 Doburji Araiyan 31,880 S. No UC Name Population 39 Paragpur 37,851 1 Pasrur-1 32,532 40 Gurhi 33,717 2 Pasrur-2 33,182 41 Hundal 34,939 3 30,268 42 Charind 39,436 4 Kalaswala 15,624 43 Miani 35,829 5 Bajra Garhi 34,571 44 Adalatgarh 35,894 6 Mehrajke 29,018 45 Moman Kalan 26,795 7 Pindi Bhago 27,832 46 Uggoki 41,420 8 Chobarah 26,395 47 Jaurian Kalan 39,765 9 Charwah 25,289 48 Bhagwal Awan 37,107 10 Prail 25,650 49 Moonger 35,333 11 Kingra 34,828 50 Ballanwala 38,333 12 Dhullam Kahlwan 26,678 51 Gohadhpur 44,347 13 Chahoor 29,504 52 Baunkan 38,078 14 Gadgore 29,675 53 Other Rural 66,825 15 Khananwali 33,399 Total of Tehsil Sialkot 1,898,121 16 Jassoran 32,742 Sambrial 17 Badiana 29,291 S. No UC Name Population 18 Kapoorpur 30,402 1 Dar-us-Salam 27,554 19 Ballagan 27,815 2 Mandi Sambrial 24,236 20 Malipur 27,723 3 Qila Sambrial 20,362 21 Adamke Nagra 33,842 4 21,749 22 Ban Bajwa 30,172 5 Begowala (Partly) 11,474 23 Mussapur 28,871 6 Kullowal 32,768 24 Talwandi Inayat Khan 30,181 7 Roras 29,786 25 Pejoke 33,147 8 22,683 26 Saukinwind 33,215 9 Jethike 29,387 27 Qila Kalarwala 36,865 10 Habibpur 26,370 28 Takhatpur 28,516 11 Randheer 28,956 29 Kalas Wala (Partly) 22,724 12 Kopra 32,147 Total of Tehsil Pasrur 859,951 13 Malkhanwala 27,773 Total of District Sialkot 4,017,824