Crisis situation: Top disaster management body faces cash crunch

Serious shortage of manpower and funds at NDMA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top disaster management authority is facing a serious shortage of manpower and finances despite the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

With earthquakes and floods wreaking havoc across the country in recent years, there is a dire need to strengthen the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which deals with addressing emergency situations through relief and rehabilitation, officials say. The authority was established in 1997.



Talking to The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity, a senior NDMA official said the authority had been trying to work effectively within limited human and financial resources since its beginning. At the federal level, he said, 125 employees are working but at least 250 people are required considering the amount of work that needs to be done.

“We need at least eight disaster management experts but hardly one is working at the federal level,” the official said. “The NDMA is currently more like a hospital without specialist doctors.”

The annual budget for the disaster management authority comes to around Rs160 million, which is mostly spent on paying salaries to the staff.

“Whenever there is an emergency situation, we have to wait for the government to release funds to start relief and rehabilitation activities in the affected areas,” he claimed.

The scarcity of funds has also become a hurdle in the way of carrying out hazard vulnerability risk assessments at district and union council level across the country. The assessment has been done in only 15 to 20 districts of Pakistan.

“These assessments help the NDMA to develop an understanding of the area regarding its vulnerability to natural catastrophes and how to cope with them,” the official said.

To boot, the weather forecast system at the NDMA can predict climate conditions up to 48 hours only, leaving no space for early preparedness and limiting the authority’s effectiveness.

“The NDMA needs to have its offices functioning in every province to take prompt action during emergency situations,” the official said. “Offices at provincial levels will be responsible for their own areas as they will have better understanding of their people and issues.”

Another official was, however, more upbeat. “There are many international partners who have and are extending financial and technical assistance to Pakistan for strengthening the authority,” said NDMA member Ahmed Kamal.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2015.