Coordinated extreme weather forecasting planned

CM highlights alarming rise in severe climate events

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Federal Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik agreed on Thursday on establishing a coordinated early warning system for forecasting extreme weather events.

During a meeting, a proposal to install climate and flood-related centralised information screens at the district and tehsil levels across Punjab in collaboration with the federal government was reviewed. It was agreed that coordination between relevant authorities would begin at least six hours before any expected extreme weather event.

The chief minister instructed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to strengthen coordination with the NDMA. She also directed officials to ensure controlled tourism during periods of extreme heat and heavy rainfall and ordered the issuance of comprehensive advisories.

She directed the authorities to enhance district-level logistics for responding to floods and other severe weather events. She said the provincial government was investing billions of rupees to enhance the water storage capacity. She added that WASA and solid waste management services, once limited to Lahore, had now been expanded across the province. She said machinery for tackling urban flooding were previously dispatched from major cities, but every district had now been provided the equipment.

The CM said the frequency of severe and unpredictable climate events had increased alarmingly.

According to an official statement, Dr Musadik Malik said although there had been limited time to respond to last year's flood triggered by Indian water aggression, the Punjab authorities had performed effectively.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed all provincial governments to work jointly on climate change planning, assuring Punjab of full federal support.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that unlike previous years, the government had alerted all departments well before the monsoon season.

Officials said the government was implementing short-, medium- and long-term plans to address climate change and natural disasters and had prepared a three-year strategy.

The officials said the Punjab government had introduced the country's first climate-tagged budget.

They said all flood-damaged irrigation infrastructure in Punjab had been restored, vulnerable points mapped and the capacity of barrages enhanced.

Province-wide alerts were being issued for heatwaves and other severe weather events, while fodder, water, medicines and mobile veterinary dispensaries had been deployed in vulnerable districts. The livestock and dairy development department has been restructured and Rescue 1122 has received modern navigation systems.

The participants were informed that union council-level field formations and warehouses had been established in vulnerable districts. Work on the Jalalpur flood protection embankment will be completed by July 31.