Disaster prep hampered by funding woes: Sherry

ISLAMABAD:

Senator Sherry Rehman voiced concerns on Tuesday about the outdated equipment in disaster management departments due to insufficient funding.

Chairing the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, Rehman underscored the necessity of a resilient strategy to address the adverse impacts of climate change in Pakistan.

“Heavy funds were required to update the environmental department’s equipment during my tenure. After the 2022 floods, all funds were reallocated to flood-affected areas because of the shortage,” she said.

She stressed that the capacity of PDMA and other regional institutions must be increased to prevent disasters.

She pointed out that NDMA and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) have predicted above-normal rainfall, adding that the committee was keen to understand the measures for risk reduction and predictability of the monsoon across the country.

Citing reports, Sherry Rehman noted that it appeared that the eye of the storm would likely be Punjab.

The senator further highlighted other environmental crises, saying that Pakistan’s climate challenges were multifaceted, and all relevant environmental institutions must not work in silos. “There should be a coordinated and shared strategy to tackle these challenges.”

Rehman emphasised that resilience must be redefined across the board due to Pakistan’s high exposure to climate stress. “It can’t just be about infrastructure; it has to be local and people-centric,” she said.

Monsoon rains

The committee was informed about upcoming monsoon rains, with Sindh and eastern Balochistan expecting rainfall on July 8-9, and upper and central Pakistan, including Rawalpindi and Islamabad, from July 10-15.

The chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that various regions would experience heavy, moderate, and scattered rainfall, potentially causing urban and flash flooding, river overflow, landslides, and mudslides.

The NDMA chairman provided detailed preparations and risk reduction strategies for the monsoon season, noting that K-P and Punjab, especially Punjab, would be significantly affected by the heavy rainfall expected from the monsoon system entering from India.

The chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) reported on recent fires at Margalla Hills, with 22 incidents from May 2 to June 13, 2024.

These fires took 5 to 10 hours to extinguish, with 11 FIRs lodged and three individuals apprehended. The fires damaged 250 acres of forest.

Rehman expressed alarm over the Margalla forest fires, urging joint measures by the CDA and Islamabad Wildlife Management Board to prevent such incidents.