Integrated flood risk management system needed, says adviser

Amin Aslam says it should be economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable

ISLAMABAD: PM’s Adviser on climate change Malik Amin Aslam Khan has said that there was a need to develop a flood risk management system which was both integrated and do-able.

“We need an integrated flood risk management system which is economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable,” he said. Aslam was chairing a meeting on development of a long-term project on integrated flood plain management along river Indus for diverting and storing floodwater through ecological infrastructure on Wednesday.



Federal Secretary Climate Shahrukh Nusrat, Addl Secretary Khurram Ali Agha, IG Forests Syed Mehmood Nasir, representatives from Federal Flood Commission, Ministry of Planning, EAD, Ministry of Finance and WWF were also present in the meeting. IG Forests Nasir briefed the chair about recommendations of the Ramsar Mission to Pakistan.

Minister said: “Pakistan is not water scarce country, but unfortunately due to lack of infrastructure and mismanagement we waste huge quantity of water every year.”

Pakistan is blessed with wetlands, where we can store flood water and use it to cater our water related needs.



Representatives from WWF apprised the minister on Recharge Pakistan Integrated Flood Risk Management Project through a detailed presentation. They informed the minister that they have already shared their concept paper with ADB, World Bank, and other international experts to get their feedback as pre-feasibility assessment.

Aslam said: “The main idea of the project seems fine but we have to conduct its detailed feasibility study by keeping in view environmental evaluation and cost benefit analysis of the proposed water storage sites.” Minister further said that people residing in the federal capital are also facing water scarcity issues. “Therefore, we intend to launch a pilot project of water storage in Islamabad Capital Territory which will be the first project in our "recharge Pakistan drive" and will further take it to the national level.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2018.