UN-Habitat launches urban flooding project
The barely-there drainage of the metropolis gets overwhelmed during heavy rain spells and inundates low-lying areas and roads. PHOTO: EXPRESS
To reduce the impact of flooding and droughts, especially in urban areas, the United Nations (UN) Habitat, in collaboration with the federal government and other stakeholders, launched an urban flooding and drought management intervention project.
Funded by the $6.094 million Adaptation Fund, it was formally launched with an inception workshop for 37 relevant members from the local, provincial and federal government ministries and line agencies of the country.
The fund project aims to enhance resilience to water scarcity caused by floods and droughts at the community, district and city level and the national and provincial levels in Rawalpindi and Nowshera.
Under the project, rainwater harvesting units will be installed both at the household level and public buildings to demonstrate a cost-effective solution to adapt both floods and droughts. It will be implemented by UN-Habitat, Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), National Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan Council for Research on Water Resources, Shehrsaaz and communities.
At the inception workshop, UN-Habitat Programme Manager Jawed Ali Khan highlighted that urban flooding and drought poses a serious threat to our economic growth and development as well as lives and livelihood.
Mio Sato, the acting resident coordinator of UN, appreciated the efforts of the MoCC and UN-Habitat for launching the climate change adaptation project.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2020.