Disaster management authority to finally get a helicopter
The authority has already floated international tenders for the procurement.
KARACHI:
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is set to purchase a brand new helicopter to cope with emergencies.
The authority has floated international tenders for the procurement of the helicopter. Officials of the provincial government told The Express Tribune that Rs1.6 billion have been allocated for the new helicopter. It would have the seating capacity for 17 people and would bear a minimum of 600 kilogrammes at the time of take-off.
“Since we don’t have our own helicopter, we borrow it from the navy or the Askari Aviation of Pakistan Army Trust,” a finance department official told The Express Tribune. “If we hire a helicopter from private firms, it costs us more than Rs0.3 million per day.”
The government has formed a committee, headed by the finance secretary to ensure that the procurement is carried out in a transparent manner. Other members of the committee include the PDMA director-general, the chief pilot of the chief minister’s helicopter, general administration secretary and two representatives from the civil aviation authority as well as another technical firm.
PDMA DG Suleman Shah told The Express Tribune that the necessity to procure a helicopter was felt after the fire that had raged through the 15-storey Pakistan National Shipping Corporation building in 2007. The idea, however, remained on paper due to the lack of will as well as funding. “We need a state-of-the-art helicopter,” said Shah. “We will look at the specification of the helicopter, especially the fuel consumption rate, maintenance costs, rate of climb at take-off and operating temperature range,” he said, citing a few examples of the specifications that will be checked.
Shah said that the department was being revamped and would be equipped with latest equipment. A sum of Rs500 million has been earmarked to deal with emergencies in the province. “Usually, our department faces a lot of difficulties due to the lack of funds,” lamented Shah. “These funds are usually released after the calamity has struck. This year, however, we have received the funding beforehand and purchased all the necessary equipment.”
The provincial government had purchased two helicopters in the early 1990s. Both were being used for VIP movements and emergencies until they were grounded in 2010. According to officials, around Rs106 million were estimated for the repair of these helicopters. However, the chief minister had rejected the proposal to spend more funds on the repair and maintenance of these helicopters.
In 2012, a summary was approved to purchase a new helicopter at a cost of Rs1.3 billion. This time, however, it was officials of the finance department who had raised eyebrows, suggesting the CM to spend Rs450 million to hire a copter for the time being, given the financial constraints.
Before the monsoon season last year, the federal government had turned down the Sindh government’s request to temporarily provide it with a helicopter. Subsequently, the provincial government had proposed to hire the helicopter from Askari Aviation Private Limited for a period of two months. Under the agreement, the government would have to bear expenses of more than Rs0.3 million per day. This, however, did not happen.
In the current budget, the government has increased the funds for the chief minister’s helicopter from Rs42 million to Rs77 million. The CM hires these helicopters from private firms, utilising government funds on its repair and maintenance, which is said to be more than the cost of its fuel.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2014.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is set to purchase a brand new helicopter to cope with emergencies.
The authority has floated international tenders for the procurement of the helicopter. Officials of the provincial government told The Express Tribune that Rs1.6 billion have been allocated for the new helicopter. It would have the seating capacity for 17 people and would bear a minimum of 600 kilogrammes at the time of take-off.
“Since we don’t have our own helicopter, we borrow it from the navy or the Askari Aviation of Pakistan Army Trust,” a finance department official told The Express Tribune. “If we hire a helicopter from private firms, it costs us more than Rs0.3 million per day.”
The government has formed a committee, headed by the finance secretary to ensure that the procurement is carried out in a transparent manner. Other members of the committee include the PDMA director-general, the chief pilot of the chief minister’s helicopter, general administration secretary and two representatives from the civil aviation authority as well as another technical firm.
PDMA DG Suleman Shah told The Express Tribune that the necessity to procure a helicopter was felt after the fire that had raged through the 15-storey Pakistan National Shipping Corporation building in 2007. The idea, however, remained on paper due to the lack of will as well as funding. “We need a state-of-the-art helicopter,” said Shah. “We will look at the specification of the helicopter, especially the fuel consumption rate, maintenance costs, rate of climb at take-off and operating temperature range,” he said, citing a few examples of the specifications that will be checked.
Shah said that the department was being revamped and would be equipped with latest equipment. A sum of Rs500 million has been earmarked to deal with emergencies in the province. “Usually, our department faces a lot of difficulties due to the lack of funds,” lamented Shah. “These funds are usually released after the calamity has struck. This year, however, we have received the funding beforehand and purchased all the necessary equipment.”
The provincial government had purchased two helicopters in the early 1990s. Both were being used for VIP movements and emergencies until they were grounded in 2010. According to officials, around Rs106 million were estimated for the repair of these helicopters. However, the chief minister had rejected the proposal to spend more funds on the repair and maintenance of these helicopters.
In 2012, a summary was approved to purchase a new helicopter at a cost of Rs1.3 billion. This time, however, it was officials of the finance department who had raised eyebrows, suggesting the CM to spend Rs450 million to hire a copter for the time being, given the financial constraints.
Before the monsoon season last year, the federal government had turned down the Sindh government’s request to temporarily provide it with a helicopter. Subsequently, the provincial government had proposed to hire the helicopter from Askari Aviation Private Limited for a period of two months. Under the agreement, the government would have to bear expenses of more than Rs0.3 million per day. This, however, did not happen.
In the current budget, the government has increased the funds for the chief minister’s helicopter from Rs42 million to Rs77 million. The CM hires these helicopters from private firms, utilising government funds on its repair and maintenance, which is said to be more than the cost of its fuel.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2014.