National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) has identified 10 priority areas under NDM Plan
(2013-2022) aimed at enhancing capacity to respond natural disasters
such as floods, landslides and earthquakes.
National Disaster Management Plan (MDMP) a strategic plan
which provides for enhancing capacity of country to prepare for and
respond to disasters such as floods (urban/flash riverine),
landslides, earthquakes, drought, tsunami, cyclone, glacier lake
outburst flood (GLOF), avalanches and tropical sea storms by
defining measures necessary for disaster management.
Giving details, official sources on Monday said the plan has
identified 10 priority areas, 41 strategies and 122 projects in
domain of institutional development, capacity building, awareness,
early warning system, human resource development, hazard and risk
assessment etc.
The sources said NDMP identifies roles and responsibilities
of various stakeholders involved in disaster management and
facilitates various organization/agencies to undertake interventions
as identified in NDMP to achieve desired results.
Moreover, NDMA has also formulated National Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR) Policy which provided an overall guiding framework
for building resilience of the country to disasters.
The policy aims at strengthening disaster preparedness and
response capabilities, improving the early warning system, building
capacities of disaster management practitioners at all levels and
that of communities as well as strengthening structural and
nonstructural resilience of infrastructure.
As per NDM Act 2010 Provincial Disaster Management
Authorities (PDMAs) and District Disaster Management Authorities
(DDMAs) have been assigned to examine vulnerability of different
parts of the provinces to different disasters and specify prevention
and mitigation. NDMA progressively attained the capacity to support
about 300,000 people all over the country through its well-stocked
warehouses located on regional basis in any kind of disaster.
Highlighting important aspects of NDMP, the sources said
national hazard and vulnerability assessment, macro level risk
assessment for entire country has been completed, while micro level
assessment under progress.
Similarly, drought assessment has been carried out in
districts of Balochistan, early warning and evacuation systems for
communities have been established through SMS alerts, enforcement of
building codes being pursued through Ministry of Housing and Works
while National Fire and Life Safety Codes are being developed for
first time in country with collaboration of Pakistan Engineering
Council (PEC).
Moreover, the sources said awareness and advocacy was
conducted through public service messages during monsoon as well as
during earthquake 2015 while NDMA implementation roadmap is in focus
with respect to preparation of Multi Hazards Vulnerability Risk
Assessment (MHVRA), Capacity Building of Community through
Mobilization of Voluntary Emergency Response (MOVERE) and capacity
building of government officials through concept of Government
Officials Emergency Response Exercise (GOERE).
The sources said National Fund for Disaster Management is
being established, major part of which will be used for DRR
activities i.e. Early Warning System (EWS) and flood mitigation,
comprehensive national guidelines for school safety are being
prepared to bring awareness as well as to ensure safety of children
and gender and child cells have been established at NDMA and PDMAs
to grant much needed attention to vulnerable groups during entire
spectrum of disaster.