RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday unveiled the Winter Contingency Plan 2020-21 as the province faces a range of natural hazards in the winter season.

The natural hazards mentioned in the plan included winter hazards of extreme low temperature, fog, smog, snowfall, rainfall, landslides flash floods, seismic activity along the mountainous north and west.

Natural disasters caused massive losses to people’s life and livelihoods, which retard economic growth, said the Director General (DG), PDMA Pervez Khan. Under this contingency plan, the department would make efforts to minimize the losses likely to be caused by the natural disasters.

He said despite vigorous engagement in responding to Covid-19 pandemic, the PDMA is cognizant of the importance of winter preparedness and contingency planning.

The authority has worked out Winter Contingency Plan 2020-21 to minimize the impending disaster risk within the province through formulation of a comprehensive plan and its effective and efficient implementation.

The process of Winter Contingency Plan was started in mid-October 2020 by involving all stakeholders of the federal government, provincial departments, district administration and development partners. Tools for data collection were developed and shared with all stakeholders including information regarding district, sector specific hazards and vulnerability profile, hazard impact, damages, compensation paid, resource mapping, need assessment and coordination.

The Winter Contingency Plan 2020-21 has categorized the districts vulnerability and risk assessment into very high, high, medium and low categories.

Each weather pattern comes with its own sets of contingencies. The peculiar geography, terrain and natural resources make the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa heir to a number of climate contingencies during both summers and winters.

Some regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa like Malakand and Hazara Division are exposed to weather extremes by virtue of their high altitudes spreading over five months from December to April.

The PDMA has initiated a process of introducing proactive preparedness regime under guidelines established by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for streamlining response at provincial and district levels in coordination with all relevant stakeholders.

The process, contingency planning for major hazards, shall enable initiation of requisite mitigation measures and to undertake a coordinated response to minimize the loss of life and property in the events of disasters.

Spokesperson PDMA Taimur Ali said winter hazards occurring through December to March were accentuated by heavy precipitation in the upper mountainous regions of the province, he said. Snow avalanches and landslides either target vulnerable communities or isolate them by severing communication.

Under the plan, Wapda, PTCL and SNGPL would restore essential telecommunication and energy services and the Health department bolsters health response and deploys capacities to preempt onset of epidemics.