The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has established a Camp Management Support Unit to identify potential camp sites in each district of K-P and in consultation with district administrations has shortlisted 184 sites for relief camps across the province.
The selection of these sites is part of monsoon contingency plan.
In case of natural disasters or emergency these camps will be used as shelters for people displaced due to natural calamities. After identification of the potential camp sites, PDMA has also ensured mapping of the sites and its dissemination to all relevant stakeholders.
In a press statement Director General PDMA Sharif Hussain said that camp management and camp coordination is also vital for humanitarian assistance, adding that it coordinates protection and assistance programs and takes a holistic approach to upholding basic human rights and meeting the needs of the camp population.
The Camp Management Support Unit in PDMA has been established to identify camp sites where, in case of disaster, the displaced people will be provided shelter and protection.
Spokesperson PDMA said that this activity was one of its kind and received positive response from all relevant sectors. To further strengthen its response to disasters, PDMA is also establishing a camp management task force in all districts of K-P.
The district disaster management officer shall act as chairman/chairperson of the camp management task force which will be comprised of representatives from local government, public health engineering, tehsil municipal administration, DDMU, social welfare dept, education, health, civil society organizations and local community.
The task force will be given trainings on first aid, disaster preparedness, camp management and camp coordination.
This will help save precious lives. Moreover, district administrations of all districts in K-P have been taken on board to successfully execute the activities.
Camp sites have been identified as precautionary measure to provide immediate relief in the affected-areas of natural disasters and emergencies.
PDMA has already installed flood early warning systems on seven locations on different rivers and has been working on monsoon contingency plan in consultation with all the stakeholders.
The outcome of the contingency plan will reinforce prevention, mitigation and response to monsoon related disasters.
In this connection a series of pre planning and orientation meetings were held with representatives of district administration, line departments, federal and provincial academia and other partners.
Director General PDMA Sharif Hussain said that process of monsoon contingency planning was started from the 1st week of March by involving all stakeholders and a contingency plan will be developed by the mid of May.
Tools for data collection are 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.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2022.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ