Monsoon floods: Contingency plan set for Gilgit

Over 100 vulnerable areas identified, supplied stocks of food, non-food items.

GILGIT:

With the monsoon season around the corner, authorities in Gilgit have chalked out a flood contingency plan to avert possible infrastructure and human losses.

The measures were taken after Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned the provincial governments to be “on their toes” in case of floods during the months of July and September, an official of the local administration told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

The food contingency plan was approved during a district administration meeting, which was chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner Momin Jan. The meeting was attended by all stakeholders, including representatives of NGOs dealing with calamities.

Jan said that over 100 vulnerable areas have been identified, adding that necessary stocks of food and non-food items have also been transported to the areas. Jan said the government has also set up 27 committees to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. He said that

According to PMD, the first monsoon system will enter the country in the first week of July. The department has predicted up to 15 per cent more rainfall in the country this season compared to an average of the past 30 years.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2012.