'Plan is being evolved for better disaster management'

Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Khalid Sher Dil has said PDMA distributed relief goods among the flood affectees in year 2010 involving an amount of more than Rs 700 millions. He said Rs 165 million have so far been allocated for construction of 22 Model Villages and work is in progress in this respect.
Addressing the last session of two-day workshop, he said that on the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Watan Cards involving an amount of Rs 27.6 million were distributed among flood affectees. He disclosed that relief goods of a huge amount was also sent for the affectees of earthquake in brotherly country Turkey and relief goods of Rs 650 million were distributed among the flood affectees of Sindh. He informed that PDMA have funds of Rs 200 million out of which an amount can be provided to any district accordingly in case of some emergency and disaster occur and funds are demanded by the DCO of such district.
Khalid Sher Dil said that instructions are being issued at district level for a comprehensive planning in respect of disaster management and district governments have been directed to allocate amount for disaster management on regular basis under their annual development programme so that emergency should be responded promptly and immediately. He said that after the initiation of relief measures at local level on self help basis at local level in case of any emergency. He said that instructions have also been issued to hold meeting of District Disaster Management Committees to make the preparations and planning updated on regular basis.
Speaking on this occasion, Chairman NDMA, Zafar Iqbal Qadar highlighted that plans should be prepared at the district level to confront and combat any kind of calamity or disaster and in such plan every district should indicate the nature of any expected calamity which may occur in their respective districts. He added that calamity like flood, earthquake, storms, though occur casually, yet preparations for such emergency is much needed and done in advance and well before time. He underlined that every district government should ensured comprehensive planning in this regard keeping in view requirements of manpower, funds, equipment and other resources.