Foreign donors pledge financial, technical assistance in case of floods

PESHAWAR: Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Shakil Qadir has said that foreign donors have pledged financial assistance to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to help it carry out relief and rescue activities in case of floods hitting the region again this year.

Addressing a ceremony held here Thursday, Shakil Qadir said that United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) would provide 25 million dollars in case of natural catastrophe whereas Japan government would technically assist besides installing system that would forewarn about possible floods.

He said that the government of Japan provided 248 million Yen so as to help the government meet untoward situation.

DG PDMA said that although floods were natural disasters and no forewarning could be issued in such cases yet damages caused by such disasters could be reduced remarkably if proper safety arrangements were put in place.

He said that UNDP would assist the government at district level adding that Disaster Management Units would be established at district level and disaster management officers would be appointed.

Shakil Qadir said that disaster management officers would already appointed in six districts of the province adding that in the first phase of the project ten districts would be placed on priority list where chances of floods were high this year. He said that DCO's have been directed to remain vigilant in sensitive districts to keep check on residential areas adjacent to rivers and nullahs.

Moreover, he added that district administration have been directed to stay in contact with Pak Army, Frontier Constabulary and scouts in case of floods so as to start rescue and relief activities at the earliest. He said that Federal Flood Relief Centers were set up at Khwazakhela, Swat, Nowshera and D.I. Khan.

Shakil Qadir said that Rs. Four billion were spent on relief work so far adding that chances of floods in the provincial capital were also high in the monsoon season and policy have been made for evacuation of local population in case of floods.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011