Disaster Management Bill 2017: Senate body develops consensus on proposed amendments

A subcommittee of Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Wednesday developed consensus on amendments proposed in the 'National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2017' moved by Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh with slight changes. The meeting was chaired by convener Senator Ahmed Hassan and was attended among others by Senator Sitara Ayaz, Senator Samina Saeed, Secretary Climate Change Syed Altaf and Member National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Muhammad Idrees Mahsud.
The amendments talk about having follow-up over implementation of decisions taken during NDMA meetings after every six months. The committee in the meeting also discussed legal implications of consolidation of 'West Pakistan National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958', 'Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Act 2011' and 'National Disaster Management Act, 2010.'
On Monday last, the standing committee constituted a subcommittee to discuss 'National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2017' while consulting with the relevant ministries and departments to improve it further. The chairman NDMA said his organisation had been working to merge different acts of ERRA, NDMA and National Climate Change Policy. The NDMA also supported the bill moved by Senator Mian Ateeq, he added. The officials of the Law Ministry, however, suggested to merge all relevant laws into a single law, which would reduce jurisdiction of the NDMA to carry out its activities to deal with disasters across the country.