Orders preventive measures, faster compensation for displaced families and emergency flood plan
KP CM Sohail Afridi. Photo: screenshot
PESHAWAR:
A key meeting of the Department of Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement was held under the chairmanship of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi to review disaster preparedness, relief activities and departmental reforms.
In view of a possible global fuel crisis and the provincial government’s austerity drive, the meeting was held online with all relevant officials participating via video link. The Chief Minister was given a detailed briefing on the responsibilities of the department, its subordinate institutions, ongoing relief operations and reform initiatives.
The meeting highlighted the need to prepare a comprehensive contingency plan before the next summer season due to possible downpours and flash floods. The chief minister asked the authorities to take effective and long-term measures in vulnerable areas to prevent flood damage, emphasizing that simply constructing protective walls is not enough without assessing their effectiveness.
He asked officials to examine sensitive areas along the rivers and take necessary measures, including cleaning of river beds if necessary, through coordination between the minerals and irrigation departments. The authorities have also been asked to launch an organized campaign against encroachments on river beds and in major cities immediately after Ramazan to minimize potential damage during natural disasters.
The meeting also reviewed the process of payment of compensation to Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDP) in various districts. The chief minister asked officials to expedite payments, assess the needs of other affected districts and present details of resources required to bridge any shortfall. He assured that the provincial government would ensure the availability of the necessary funds to compensate the victims.
The participants also discussed the proposal to establish warehouses at the regional level. The chief minister agreed to the proposal, directing that warehouses be set up at divisional headquarters in central locations to ensure quick response in case of emergency. It also granted in-principle approval for resources needed to pay compensation and ongoing relief activities.
The meeting further guided the development of a comprehensive digital dashboard for effective monitoring of human resources and assets of the department, as well as progressive digitalization of the affairs of the department. The chief minister asked officials to review the dashboard daily to avoid delays during emergencies.
Regarding the improvement of rescue services, the meeting was informed that recruitment for 1,326 posts in Rescue 1122 is underway in the first phase. The chief minister directed that the recruitment process be completed at the earliest and agreed to creation of 1,125 more posts in the second phase. The officials were also directed to finance the purchase of medical motorcycles for the rescue services and prepare a comprehensive plan to provide them to all divisional headquarters.
The proposal to establish civil protection offices throughout the province was also discussed. It was decided that additional rooms would be constructed in the existing relief centers to house the Civil Defense offices, ensuring efficient use of time and resources.
