Stormy weathers: Weather radars not yet installed
Confusion regarding installation persists between departments concerned
Confusion regarding installation persists between departments concerned. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government has yet to install four modern radars for predicting accurate weather and to issue early warning to the departments concerned before time. This would help avoid huge human, agriculture and property loss.
In 2010, after floods devastated Pakistan, it was announced that a modern radar would be installed in Gwadar. Three outdated radars in Lahore, Sialkot and Mangla dam were also to be replaced with new ones.
A senior official, currently working closely with the disaster relief work who wished not to be named, said that Pakistan is under the influence of climate change.
“The government however still does not seem concerned enough to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid extensive losses due to the impact of climate change,” said the official.
This year Pakistan was first hit by a heatwave that had claimed over 1,000 lives, he reminded. This was followed by a flash flood which according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) killed 208 people and affected 1,473,893 people, he said.
“Such weather events are a wakeup call for the government to start working on a war footing to protect people before it’s too late,” said the official.
Confusion and a lack of coordination were felt between the Planning Commission of Pakistan, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Meteorological Department regarding installation of these radars.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Ahmed Kamal, member NDMA said that currently there was no need to replace old radars as they were functioning well. He said that two new radars – one in Karachi and another in Islamabad – will be installed in September this year. This installation will take place with the help of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
On the other hand a senior official at the Planning Commission of Pakistan who wished not to be named shifted the blame to Met Office bureaucracy. He said that they were not clear on whether the old radars were functioning well or not.
The official said huge amounts of money are involved in the installation of these radars. Therefore the Met Office people are trying to siphon off the money under the pretence of installing radars.
When contacted Director General Met Office Dr Ghulam Rasul said there is an urgent need to replace the outdated radars as they are more than a decade old.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2015.
The federal government has yet to install four modern radars for predicting accurate weather and to issue early warning to the departments concerned before time. This would help avoid huge human, agriculture and property loss.
In 2010, after floods devastated Pakistan, it was announced that a modern radar would be installed in Gwadar. Three outdated radars in Lahore, Sialkot and Mangla dam were also to be replaced with new ones.
A senior official, currently working closely with the disaster relief work who wished not to be named, said that Pakistan is under the influence of climate change.
“The government however still does not seem concerned enough to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid extensive losses due to the impact of climate change,” said the official.
This year Pakistan was first hit by a heatwave that had claimed over 1,000 lives, he reminded. This was followed by a flash flood which according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) killed 208 people and affected 1,473,893 people, he said.
“Such weather events are a wakeup call for the government to start working on a war footing to protect people before it’s too late,” said the official.
Confusion and a lack of coordination were felt between the Planning Commission of Pakistan, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Meteorological Department regarding installation of these radars.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Ahmed Kamal, member NDMA said that currently there was no need to replace old radars as they were functioning well. He said that two new radars – one in Karachi and another in Islamabad – will be installed in September this year. This installation will take place with the help of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
On the other hand a senior official at the Planning Commission of Pakistan who wished not to be named shifted the blame to Met Office bureaucracy. He said that they were not clear on whether the old radars were functioning well or not.
The official said huge amounts of money are involved in the installation of these radars. Therefore the Met Office people are trying to siphon off the money under the pretence of installing radars.
When contacted Director General Met Office Dr Ghulam Rasul said there is an urgent need to replace the outdated radars as they are more than a decade old.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2015.