Staff Reporter
The National Post Monsoon-2019 Review Conference, presided over by Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal, was held here on Tuesday.
While welcoming the participants of the conference, Member Operations NDMA Brigadier Waseem Uddin presented a countrywide overview of the monsoon season-2019, a report citing details of countrywide disasters/calamities and the losses/damages that occurred during the season and highlighted the relevant rescue and relief operations undertaken.
The forum identified the weaknesses and shortfalls witnessed during the last monsoon season and presented recommendations for better preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season – 2020. While appreciating the efforts of all concerned stakeholders, the Chairman NDMA, Lt. General Afzal reiterated that disaster management is a shared responsibility.
He observed that it is a sacred duty of saving human lives and properties and welcomed proposals and recommendations from federal and provincial departments, UN Agencies and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), who are part of disaster management system in Pakistan.
Chairman NDMA also extended NDMA’s full support to coordinate and facilitate all disaster relief activities. He further said that to address the existing coordination gaps among various stakeholders operating in the Disaster Management System of Pakistan, NDMA was actively pursuing relevant legislative amendments.
The Chairman has expressed his resolve to progressively strengthen the disaster management system and hoped that Pakistan would soon become a disaster resilient country in the true sense.
Structured presentations were given by the representatives of all provincial and regional DMA’s including Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-
Baltistan Disaster Management Authorities. Representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Federal Flood Commission (FFC), Tarbela Dam and Mangla Dam Authorities, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Pakistan Army Engineers Directorate presented measures taken by their respective organizations for the prevention of floods and rehabilitation of affected people during this year monsoon season and apprised the Chairman NDMA on the preparations for the upcoming monsoon season.
