Donors barred from directly helping survivors

PDMA complains that the ban has slowed relief operations

QUETTA: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has formally banned international donor agencies, aid organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from directly assisting flood survivors in Balochistan.

The provincial chief minister was formally informed about the development during a meeting held to review relief efforts on Saturday.

The director-general of the PDMA, however, complained that the ban had slowed the pace of the relief operations. The chief minister told the meeting’s participants that he would discuss the issue with NDMA authorities and the federal government.

The chief minister directed provincial lawmakers to contribute at least Rs10 million for flood relief.

He said that the MPAs concerned should personally monitor projects in the flood-hit areas.

There was a proposal to hold a donors’ conference in Balochistan, seeking international assistance. The meeting decided to hold further discussions on the issue before taking any decision in this regard, an official announcement said.

Earlier, the chief minister allocated Rs10 million each for relief camps in Quetta and Sibi set up for people displaced by floods in Jaffarabad and Sindh.

Flood survivors, he said, would be provided food, clean drinking water, medicines and other necessities during their stay in the camps. The provincial chief secretary briefed the participants about the flood situation in Balochistan.

The meeting was informed that around 1,500 families had arrived in relief camps in Sibi and Quetta. The chief minister called for their immediate registration after completing security formalities.

The secretary for communications and works informed the meeting that the  road network had been badly damaged and that the department will need between Rs600 million and Rs700 million for reconstructing the roads.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2010.