‘Use of modern technology vital to respond to natural calamity’

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has stressed the need for public awareness and the utilisation of modern technology to reduce human and material losses in natural calamities.

"The catastrophic earthquake of October 8, 2005 was a warning that we should prepare ourselves to respond to such catastrophe and invest in disaster prevention measures to ensure that the 2005 like crisis is not repeated," he said.

In a special message on the 15th anniversary of the earthquake of October 2005, Masood said millions of lives can be saved through preemptive measures to respond to natural calamities.

He maintained that successive governments including the present state government with the cooperation of the federal government have diligently worked for the reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed by the earthquake 15 years back.

While emphasising that disaster preparedness and risk mitigation plans must be constantly revised and updated in disaster-prone areas of the state to ensure the best response to unforeseen calamities, the AJK president said people in vulnerable areas must be provided basic awareness related to precautionary measures that can be taken for their safety.

In spite of resource constraint, he said, 72% projects have been accomplished in quake-hit districts while working on 12% ongoing projects will be completed shortly. Similarly, Masood said that construction work on the remaining 16% projects will be started soon.

He went on to say that with the consultation of natural disaster management agencies and experts, the new constructions have been made quakeproof in order to save the human lives.

At the same time, he said that it is also necessary to create awareness among the people about the natural calamities on the one hand and to utilise modern technology on the other in order to minimise losses of men and material.

“Unfortunately, Azad Kashmir is a disaster-prone and therefore, agencies like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) side-by-side with hammering out a comprehensive policy to respond to potential dangers and risks, will also have to pay attention to prepare people to respond to disasters,” Masood added.

He said that earthquakes, floods in monsoon season and landsliding and avalanches have become a routine and the government and its various departments are fully aware of the need for successfully responding to disasters and “necessary measures are being taken in this regard”.

The AJK president also thanked the international community, Muslim countries to extend generous support to earthquake victims and bringing them back to normal life.