Flood losses: statistics division unwilling to conduct survey

The Statistics Division is reportedly unwilling to conduct assessment survey of inundation of crops, livestock and other households hit by devastating floods last year, well informed sources told Business Recorder.
Giving the background, sources said the Cabinet, in its meeting on September 1, 2010, discussed the flood situation in the country and decided that a survey shall be conducted on scientific lines to assess the losses in terms of inundation of crops, livestock and other household effects in the country.
According to sources, the Cabinet Division forwarded the directive for implementation to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Ministry of Interior and the Statistics Division. A series of meetings was held in the Statistics Division/attached departments to prepare and finalise strategy including questionnaire, sample size, methodology, training and field operation, financial and human resource requirements, etc, to conduct the assessment survey in the flood affected areas on scientific lines.
As a result of these meetings, it was considered appropriate that a census may be carried out instead of a survey, as some enumeration blocks/villages have been demolished in the flood affected areas.
It was also considered that the census may be conducted in two phases. Phase-I: listing of structures/households in the enumeration block and phase-II: complete enumeration of households through three types of forms/questionnaires ie listing form, community and individual information questionnaires.
To proceed further in the light of the Cabinet decision, the following actions have so far been taken by the Statistics Division: (i) Questionnaires (in Urdu & Sindhi) have been finalised; (ii) list of flood affected villages has been prepared/finalised and; (iii) cost of survey/census has been worked out.
The Statistics Division is ready to conduct the census of flood affected areas which may take 6 to 12 months to complete. However, it is observed that the following factors need consideration before proceeding further: (i) to undertake the said assignment manpower (17000 enumerators) will be required through recruitment/hiring because the field staff of the Statistics Division/attached departments will be busy in the preparation of 6th Population and Housing Census during 2011 (March/April & August/September 2011) as per the government decision; (ii) a huge amount of Rs 436.84 million would be required by the Statistics Division for this exercise, which may not be available due to prevailing financial constraints; (iii) flood damage estimates have been worked out by various agencies such as NDMA, etc, and process of rehabilitation of the inhabitants of the areas has also started; (iv) a separate unit (Flood Reconstruction Unit) has also been constituted in the Planning and Development Division with one of the functions "to assess precise damages and needs of flood 2010." Detailed presentations were also made on the issue by various national/international agencies in Pakistan Development Forum 2010 held on November 14-15, 2010; and (v) it would appear that the census by the Statistics Division, in this context would be duplication of efforts.
"We believe that the Cabinet decision of September 1, 2010 may be reconsidered as conduct of census/survey to assess the losses caused by the flood is not viable/needed," sources concluded.