ZAHEER ABBASI & TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: Heavy rains are expected during this year’s monsoon – like previous years – wreaking havoc through flash floods and inundation but unfortunately the preparedness of federal and provincial governments seems inadequate due to meager allocations for relief and rescue in budget for next fiscal year.

An official on condition of anonymity stated that the country in recent years had been hit by a series of natural calamities but unfortunately, federal and provincial governments had not taken tangible measures to deal with the problem on long term basis. The response, he stated, to those calamities was temporary or momentary.

When contacted, Director General PDMA Punjab claimed that the province had prepared a comprehensive plan to deal with the expected rains and floods in approaching monsoon season but he did not share details of the plan. An official of Punjab Finance Department said that Rs 1.557 billion had been allocated for relief purposes in the budget for next fiscal year. However, he was unable to provide details of allocation for PDMA.

Another official stated that all the officials of Finance Department were busy in budget session of provincial assembly; he was unable to collect and provide information with respect to exact allocation of PDMA. He added that he would be able to give information after June 30th when the budget session ends.

A number of villages in Mianwali, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Muzaffargarh districts of Punjab were badly affected due to overflow of water from Sindh River during monsoon. As per Met Office, even heavier rains are expected in the approaching monsoon this year.

According to budget white paper 2016-17, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government has allocated Rs 6.968 billion for relief and rehabilitation, Rs 1 billion less compared to Rs 7.690 billion for the out going fiscal year but considerably more than the much more populous Punjab.

The allocation for the current year includes Rs 3.547 billion for preparedness of natural disaster and management relief effort, Rs 2.339 billion for provision of immediate rescue and relief services to local communities and Rs 35 million for capacity building.

Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PDMA Amir Afaq said the provincial government had not increased allocation for floods in next fiscal year’s budget. He said the allocation for floods was Rs 1 billion in the outgoing fiscal year and the same amount had been allocated for next fiscal year.

He said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority KP had prepared a contingency plan for upcoming monsoon season and in coordination with NDMA was actively pursuing a proactive approach to disaster management. A meeting to this effect was chaired by Chairman NDMA Major General Asghar Nawaz (retd) at PDMA KP headquarter Peshawar.

DG Amir stated the PDMA had declared nine districts including Peshawar, Nowshera, Charrsada, DI Khan, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Dir Upper and Dir Lower as most vulnerable and additional funds are being diverted to these districts. “We have acquired relief goods of Rs110 million, which will be distributed to the affected districts at the time of emergency.”

Department of relief, rehabilitation and settlement comprises four attached units i.e. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PRRSA), Civil Defence, and Rescue 1122.

Balochistan government has allocated Rs3.06 billion for natural calamities (relief) however it was unclear as to how it would be made available to Provincial PDMA and what was their preparedness to deal with the energy situation arising out of monsoon.

When contacted an official of Sindh Finance Department said PDMA allocation for the next fiscal year were given under flood emergency, however this correspondent tried hard to locate the allocation but failed to succeed. However, the official claimed that the measures were being put in place to deal with the emergency situation.