The department, responsible to provide relief in emergency situations, especially to the residents of rural areas of the capital city, has not been functional due to lack of interest of the relevant authority.
Considered to be the most important department of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), many also claim it to be the most neglected one.
Before 1999, this department was working under the Capital Development Authority (CDA) but was later transferred to the ICT. However, many officials believe that CDD has lost its value.
An amount of Rs2.2 million budget was allocated for the department during the year 2009-10. The department has only one vehicle and 35 volunteers to cater to the over one million population.
Incapability of the frail department has been exposed many times in the past few years. But, the recent floods in the rural areas of the capital were a testimony to the inefficacy of CDD. Locals had to suffer due to lack of arrangements and slow response by the ICT.
A couple of weeks ago, two people also lost their lives due to flash floods in Korang Nullah, which the residents claim was a result of lack of coordination between the city administration.
Assistant Director, CDD, Syed Ibrar Hussain Shah, conceded that his department could not be made affective due to the lack of funds. “The Federal government did not release the required money on time. Every year we are allocated a very low budget, we are the only neglected department of ICT,” he said.
Shah claimed that at his time of appointment, there was not a single rescue team. However, operating within the resources, the department managed to raise a rescue team comprising of volunteers.
“Whenever any untoward incident happens in the city, our teams are the first to reach the spot,” he said.
However, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed, told The Express Tribune that summary of PC-1 for upgradation of the department had been forwarded to the Chief Commissioner’s office.
According to PC-1, three main units would be established in different Union Councils of ICT including Kurri, Bara Kahu, and Koral. “Three ambulances, three rescue teams and three fire fighters would be inducted in the city in order to rescue the people in emergency-like situation,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2010.
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