Latest news with #G-B
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Emergency declared in 37 G-B flood-hit areas
Listen to article The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government on Thursday declared a state of emergency in 37 flood-ravaged areas across the region following catastrophic flash floods that claimed at least 10 lives, left several tourists missing, and caused an estimated Rs20 billion in damages. According to a notification issued by the Gilgit-Baltistan Home Department, the disaster-hit designation has been applied to 12 locations in Diamer district, nine in Gilgit, five in Ghizer, four in Skardu, four in Shigar, two in Ghanche, and one each in Nagar and Kharmang. "On account of heavy rains during Monsoon 2025, some Mouzas of District Gilgit, Ghizer, Nagar, Diamer, Skardu, Ghanche, Shigar and Kharmang have been reportedly severely affected by flash flood," said the notification issued by Home Secretary Syed Ali Asghar. "People have suffered losses which includes loss of human lives, livestock, damage to houses, infrastructure and standing crops," it added. "In the opinion of the Government, the situation warrants action under the provision of the National Calamities (Prevention and Relief Act, 1958)." The affected areas, according to the notification are: Parri Bangla, Jutal, Danyor, Sultanabad, Bagrote, Sharote, Shikyote, Skarkoi, Hasan Colony KIU Gilgit in Gilgit; Harchi village in Nagar; Biarchi, Thoi, Nazbar, Silpi and Khanchay in Ghizer; Kondus and Haldi sub-Division Mashabrum in Ghanche. other areas include, Khinner, Botogah, Buner Nallah, Goner Farm, Tatto Raikot, Gushay Darel, Thak Babusar, Charat, Jhottee, Niat Valley, Thore Parika and Shatin Nullah in Diamer; Burgay and Rgiayul in Skardu; Qaimabad, Arincho and Chutron in Shigar and Torghon valley in Kharmang. An emergency has been imposed in all these affected locations to expedite relief and rescue operations. G-B government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed the grim toll in a press briefing. "We have tragically lost 10 people, most of whom were tourists visiting the region," Faraq stated. "Four others were injured and have been provided with medical aid," he said, adding that rescuers are engaged in a desperate search for 10 to 15 tourists who remain missing. Floods also swept away 22 vehicles, Faraq said. In response to the crisis, the government has launched immediate rehabilitation efforts from its own resources, allocating Rs440 million for the restoration of critical water, power, and road infrastructure. Relief aid, including tents, blankets, food items, and kitchen sets, is being distributed to displaced families. "The rehabilitation of 509 destroyed houses is under way," Faraq said, acknowledging the immense scale of the task ahead. "It is a significant challenge." The spokesperson concluded with an appeal for federal support, expressing the hope that the national leadership would step in to assist the victims. "We hope the Prime Minister of Pakistan will help heal the wounds of the victims," Faraq said.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
G-B CM pleads for urgent federal relief
As torrential rains continue to batter Gilgit-Baltistan, Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan sounded the alarm on Saturday, urging the federal government to step in with a relief package of Rs6 to 7 billion to begin rebuilding the region's battered infrastructure. With much of the region left hanging by a thread, he urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit the flood-hit areas personally to assess the situation on the ground. He added that the scale of devastation had left the province stretched beyond its financial limits. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, G-B CM Gulbar Khan shared the grim details of the disaster and made an urgent appeal for immediate federal assistance. He said that the widespread flooding has thrown everyday life into disarray, leaving a trail of destruction across multiple districts. During his visit to the disaster-struck areas of Thak, Niat, Khanda, and Thor in the Diamer district, the chief minister declared them calamity-hit zones. Relief operations are currently underway, with tents, food supplies and other essentials being distributed to the displaced population. He also called upon NGOs to join hands with the government in the ongoing rehabilitation efforts. According to the chief minister, flash floods triggered by heavy downpours have severely impacted six to seven districts, with floodwaters inundating the streams of Thak, resulting in extensive damage to homes and crippling electricity and water supply systems. So far, at least ten people have lost their lives, while four others have been injured. The deluge has swept away around 300 homes entirely, while over 200 others have sustained partial damage. Key roads have been rendered impassable, including 8 to 9 kilometres of the Karakoram Highway, with a total of nearly 20 kilometres of road infrastructure affected. Furthermore, 30 to 40 water channels have also been destroyed, compounding the crisis for local communities. KKH reopened Meanwhile, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) was reopened on Saturday as aid and rescue operations pressed on in G-B following the trail of destruction left by flash floods. In a statement, G-B government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed: "The Karakoram Highway is open for all types of traffic". He noted that the vital artery had been blocked by landslides and mudflows on Friday, but the swift deployment of heavy machinery helped restore the road. Faraq said rescue and search efforts were in full swing across the region, which has borne the brunt of the devastation, particularly in the Kunduz region and Ghanche district. "Floods in G-B have destroyed many houses, water channels, communication roads, standing crops, shops and electricity poles," he said. The official added that the local administration had sprung into action, distributing "hundreds of tents, thousands of food packets and medicines to the affected people" across the flood-hit areas. Speaking about the Babusar search operation, Faraq said that there may be 10 to 12 missing tourists at the Babusar valley, as a search operation was ongoing. He said the Pakistan Army, G-B Scouts, Rescue 1122 and local volunteers were all hands on deck, despite ongoing landslides and rising waters throwing a spanner in the works.
New Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
KCR's policy allowed Andhra Pradesh to pursue G-B project: TPCC chief
HYDERABAD: TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Thursday alleged that former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister T Harish Rao pursued a lopsided policy during the BRS regime, which allowed the Andhra Pradesh government to go ahead with the Godavari-Banakacherla (G-B) project, harming Telangana's interests. Addressing the media, Mahesh Goud alleged that KCR, during a visit to former minister RK Roja's residence in AP, had promised to turn Rayalaseema into 'Ratanalaseema' while compromising Telangana's share in Godavari waters. The TPCC chief also targeted the BJP for not appointing a BC leader as its state president, asserting that 'only the Congress consistently implements social justice nationwide.' He mocked Union minister G Kishan Reddy's 'fevicol bond' with KCR and credited CM Revanth Reddy's efforts for the Centre's rejection of the plea by AP for Terms of Reference (ToR) for environmental impact assessment for the Banakacherla project. When asked about Jadcherla MLA Janampalli Anirudh Reddy's claim that 'Chandrababu Naidu's coverts exist in Telangana,' the TPCC chief said the party's Disciplinary Action Committee will look into the issue. The TPCC chief, meanwhile, slammed BRS MLC K Kavitha for writing to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on BC reservations, questioning when she began speaking for Backward Classes. 'She never raised her voice for BCs during the 10-year rule of BRS,' he said. He further reminded her that it was her father and former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao who had reduced BC reservations in local bodies. 'Why was she silent then? Why this sudden concern for BCs now?' he asked.
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
PM reaffirms Pakistan's pledge to eliminate polio
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Thursday Pakistan's commitment to eradicating polio, urging accelerated efforts and stronger coordination among national, regional and international partners. Chairing a meeting of the Anti-Polio Task Force in Islamabad, the prime minister said the government remains determined to protect every child in the country from the disease. 'We are committed to protect every child in Pakistan from this crippling disease and achieve a polio-free Pakistan,' he said. Shehbaz stressed the need for complete dedication to ensure that all children across Pakistan receive multiple doses of the polio vaccine. He also highlighted the importance of addressing both human transmission and the environmental presence of the virus. Acknowledging the progress made so far, the prime minister praised the dedication of frontline health workers, the contributions of provincial and regional governments and the role of law enforcement agencies in supporting the anti-polio campaign. Read: PM takes notice of G-B polio case He expressed particular gratitude to Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman for his support of Pakistan's polio eradication efforts. He also commended the vital contributions of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and its Global Development Program, led by Dr Christopher Elias, along with the continued engagement of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Rotary International, and KS Relief. The meeting was informed that district-specific polio campaigns have been designed for southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address localised challenges more effectively. In addition to targeting new polio cases among children, these campaigns also aim to eliminate the virus from the environment. The Islamabad meeting was attended by senior government officials and global health leaders, Chief Secretaries from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad also took part in the session. Shehbaz reiterated that the safety of polio workers is a top priority, and directed all stakeholders to intensify their collective efforts to eliminate the disease completely. He concluded by stating that with firm political will and international cooperation, the goal of a polio-free Pakistan is within reach. Earlier, a polio case in North Waziristan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was reported, where a 19-month-old boy tested positive, bringing the country's total to 14 cases in 2025. The case, confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, is the eighth reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with others recorded in Sindh (4), Punjab (1), and Gilgit-Baltistan (1). Pakistan saw its highest spike in the past decade in 2019, with 147 cases nationwide, before cases dropped sharply in 2021. However, a resurgence in 2024, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan, reinforced the call for continuous, targeted anti-polio strategies.
New Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
MoEF returning Andhra Pradesh's G-B proposal a huge victory for Telangana, says Uttam
HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday described the decision of the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to return a proposal by Andhra Pradesh on the Banakacherla link project as a 'huge victory for Telangana'. Uttam made a detailed PowerPoint presentation on 'The Water Issues of Telangana in Godavari and Krishna River Basins' at Praja Bhavan on Tuesday. During his presentation, he said that the Congress government will not compromise on Telangana's rightful share of waters in the Godavari and Krishna rivers. He said the previous BRS regime had mortgaged Telangana's interests and allowed Andhra Pradesh to push ahead with schemes like the Godavari-Banakacherla (G-B) link project because of its 'compromised approach'. The Irrigation minister further said that the Congress government cited multiple legal violations, including disregard for the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award, which allocated flood and surplus waters among co-basin states. He pointed out that the Environmental Clearance (EC) for Polavaram was granted in 2005 for a different project scope, and any large-scale diversion like the G-B project would require fresh environmental assessment under EIA rules. 'We made it crystal clear — Telangana will not allow its hard-earned and historically legitimate rights to be usurped,' he said.
