Orders preventive measures, faster compensation for displaced families, flood contingency 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 light 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 Prime Minister was briefed in detail 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 for the upcoming summer season due to possible downpours and flash floods. The prime minister ordered authorities to ensure effective and long-term measures in vulnerable places to prevent flood damage, emphasizing that merely building protective walls is not enough without evaluating their effectiveness.
He directed officials to check sensitive areas along the rivers and take necessary measures, including cleaning of river beds where necessary, through coordination between the Minerals and Irrigation departments. Authorities were also ordered to launch an organized campaign against encroachments on river beds and in major cities immediately after Ramadan 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 prime minister ordered officials to accelerate payments, assess the needs of other affected districts and submit details of resources needed to address any shortfalls. He assured that the provincial government will guarantee the availability of the necessary funds to compensate the victims.
Participants also discussed the proposal to establish warehouses at the regional level. The Prime Minister agreed to the proposal and directed that warehouses be set up at divisional headquarters at central locations to ensure timely response during emergencies. It also granted in-principle approval of the resources needed for compensation payments and ongoing relief activities.
The meeting further directed the development of a comprehensive digital dashboard for effective monitoring of human resources and departmental assets, along with gradual digitization of departmental affairs. The prime minister directed officials to check the dashboard daily to avoid delays during emergencies.
Regarding improvements in rescue services, those gathered were informed that in the first phase recruitment is being carried out for 1,326 posts in Rescue 1122. The Prime Minister directed that the recruitment process be completed as soon as possible and agreed to create an additional 1,125 posts in the second phase. The officials were also directed to provide funds for the procurement of medical motorcycles for the rescue services and prepare a comprehensive plan to supply them to all divisional headquarters.
The proposal to establish Civil Defense offices throughout the province was also discussed. It was decided that additional rooms would be built in existing rescue centers to house Civil Defense offices, ensuring efficient use of time and resources.
