Balochistan lacks disaster-risk plan

Senator says advance planning is a must to handle calamities

QUETTA:

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri on Sunday said that unfortunately in the past, no planning had been done to deal with natural calamities of the scale which has engulfed Balochistan — already one of the poorest provinces in the country. She said that there was a big need for comprehensive planning to deal with natural disasters in the future and in this regard the present government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo would make positive steps for the necessary planning so that such situations could not occur in the future.

She observed that currently it was the first priority of the government to control the situation caused by recent heavy rains and floods. In a statement, she expressed her sorrow over losses of lives in recent monsoon rains, adding that due to the flash floods, the people suffered a lot due to loss of life and property. She said that the provincial government would not leave the people alone in this difficult time. Zehri added that aside from the loss of precious human lives due to the rains and the resultant floods in the province, including the provincial capital Quetta, damage to property and livestock, standing crops and infrastructure has resulted in losses worth billions of rupees.

She said that emergency steps were being taken to provide relief and assistance to the flood victims, adding that under the leadership of CM Bizenjo, his team was engaged in the relief activities in the affected areas and all government machinery and resources were being deployed in this regard. She appealed to the public to render all-out support to the government institutions, the army and navy during the rescue and relief operations. She maintained that Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Bizenjo visited the areas severely affected by rains and floods and assured the victims of immediate relief and rehabilitation.

Zahri said that government’s focus was on providing relief to the victims as soon as possible. Along with this, the government is also conducting surveys to assess the losses of precious lives, crops and livestock. Once this survey is complete, their losses will be compensated, she added. Senator Zehri said that the destroyed communication links were being restored on war footing and all the resources were being used for the rehabilitation of the victims. In Balochistan, the rescue and rehabilitation work has been accelerated in the rain-affected districts, and in this regard, PDMA district administration and other organizations are playing their role for the rescue and treatment of the victims, she noted.

She said that Pakistan Army and Navy troops were also helping the civil administration in the affected areas, which was commendable. She said that soldiers were transporting the people trapped in the inundated villages to safe places through helicopters, while food and medical aid were also being provided to the affected population. The situation in the affected districts is bad and the people have suffered severe loss of life and property, entire villages have been washed away in the flash floods, thousands of people have been rendered homeless and hundreds of houses have been destroyed.

Work was going on an emergency basis for the early rehabilitation of the people in the affected areas and to compensate for their losses. Pakistan army is trying its best to restore damaged bridges and roads and road links with Karachi have been re-established two days ago.