ISLAMABAD (Big Digit) Natural disasters; Why is NDMA unable to play its role?. Echoes in the Senate

ISLAMABAD (Big Digit) NDMA is unable to play a role in natural disasters China has achieved clear success against natural disasters by improving weather forecasting methods and public awareness in this regard, China still faces floods but losses are gradually decreasing,
Keep in mind that the National Disaster Management Authority in Pakistan faces challenges in playing its role effectively during natural disasters, including inadequate funding, insufficient coordination with other government agencies, and a lack of focus on long-term disaster risk reduction.
NDMA’s budget is often insufficient to meet the needs of Pakistan’s disaster preparedness and response in the face of natural disasters. Reliance on external funding can lead to donor preferences and hinder the development of long-term, sustainable disaster management strategies.
There are instances where the systems and communication channels established by the NDMA are ignored or neglected, leading to a lack of effective coordination during disaster response.

Moreover, at least 325 people have died and 156 injured in recent deadly rains and flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as of Monday, while the death toll in rain-related incidents across the country since late June has reached 657.
On the other hand, keeping up the tradition of responding to the call of the nation in times of natural calamities, the Pakistan Air Force has provided significant assistance in the ongoing relief operations in the flood-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to an ISPR statement, 48 tons of relief goods have been transported from Karachi to Peshawar by an NGO through an Air Eagle B-737 aircraft. By establishing an air bridge in this regard, the PAF has ensured the rapid transportation of urgently needed goods to support relief activities in the flood-affected districts of Buner and Shangla so that the consignment containing essential dry rations will be distributed to the affected families in close coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority. This humanitarian mission reflects the Pakistan Air Force’s steadfast commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation, which is not only at the forefront of protecting the country’s air borders but also in providing timely assistance to its compatriots in times of crisis.
It should be recalled that earlier, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority, had said that The effects of the monsoon will remain dangerous until the end of August and the situation is expected to return to normal by the end of September. The country may face 2 to 3 more spells of heavy rains, which may continue until September 10. The search for missing persons is ongoing, and if not found, their names will also be added to the official death toll. More than 425 relief camps have been set up where basic necessities and medical facilities are being provided. Displaced families have been given shelter in government buildings, including schools. Food distribution is also ongoing under the Prime Minister’s Ration Program, which is being done in collaboration with the provincial governments. Special units of the Pakistan Army have been deployed on the instructions of the Army Chief, and the seriously injured are being airlifted to hospitals by helicopter. Field ambulances are transporting patients and major hospitals are fully mobilized. The National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) is on high alert and is continuously providing data for relief activities. Pakistan Army aviation bases have also activated reserve systems for emergency evacuation to provide timely assistance during the ongoing monsoon emergency.
Moreover, after the deaths and destruction caused by the devastating flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government released relief funds of Rs. 800 million for the affected districts, with an additional Rs. 500 million allocated for the worst-hit district of Buner. A separate Rs. 500 million has been allocated for Buner, where the highest loss of life was reported. According to the report, 217 people died and 120 were injured in Buner. After Buner, the worst-hit district was Shangla, where 36 people died and 21 were injured in floods and roof collapses since August 15. In addition, at least 95 houses were damaged, of which 55 were completely destroyed, while several schools were also partially affected. In Mansehra and Bajaur, 24 and 21 deaths and 5.5 injuries were reported respectively. In Swat, 17 people were killed and 2 were injured, but the worst damage to infrastructure was in Swat, where 219 houses were completely or partially destroyed and 163 livestock were killed. In Lower Dir, floods and lightning killed 5 people and injured 3, while 100 livestock were killed. Three people died in Battagram, while two people died in Nowshera due to a roof collapse. It should be noted that yesterday, on the instructions of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a briefing was organized at the NDMA headquarters to inform the national and international media about the flood devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but unfortunately, it has to be said that the figures shown in the media briefing were not updated overall. It is noteworthy that the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) himself did not consider it appropriate to face the media, but experts themselves forgot protocol to correct each other.During the media briefing, a senior PPID officer tried to conduct a question-and-answer session with great professionalism, but an officer dressed in a green shirt and pantsuit repeatedly interfered to assert his importance. At one point, a man dressed in a blue shirt, blue tie, and blue shirt snatched the microphone from the hands of a reporter from Hum News when the PID officer had called out the journalist’s name for a question. When a senior journalist asked what percentage of Pakistan was affected by the monsoon floods, the NDMA officials looked at each other. Then, when a chart of the devastation caused by the recent monsoon rains was shown on the big screen, only Azad Kashmir and KPK had incomplete figures, while by Sunday morning, the details of deaths and devastation in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been highlighted in the media. The lack of officials from institutions like the Meteorological Department and Suparco was also felt. Readers know that during the recent monsoon rains, a father and daughter car were involved in a flood relay in a posh area of Islamabad. The girl’s body has not been found despite several days of searching. Moreover, the media reported the drowning of two young men riding motorcycles and several children in the Korang drain and its suburbs, but Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Islamabad were shown as zero in the figures. During this time, no journalist’s question was aired. When senior journalists finally gathered around the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), they were removed from the media. Experience shows that the media plays a very important role not only during disasters but also in the pre- and post-disaster phases. It is also a well-established fact that mass communication systems organize themselves under the discipline of the market. They produce news items, articles, editorials, features, etc. It can be argued that the media has to act as an institution of public interest by keeping public concerns and interests in mind. Media coordination with disaster management efforts needs to be based on awareness and empowerment measures to empower communities so that they can influence public action and disaster preparedness and mitigation policy with relevant information. Measures to reduce flood devastation in Pakistan need to be taken on a war footing, as timely action is essential to deal with disasters. Media should be used to create awareness about the severity of the current disaster. Foreign embassies need to be mobilized for targeted fundraising. In this regard, it is suggested that funds collected for the dam fund be released for relief and rehabilitation. All hazard maps by various organizations need to be in the public domain. Along with this, district level teams should be activated in flood affected areas to assess the needs and identify beneficiaries. There is a need to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to disaster management to reduce the suffering of the victims. The dominant approach to disaster management, which offers no room for community-based initiatives – since it sees victims as part of the problem that needs to be addressed – is the best response to disaster preparedness in the medium and long term. This is what history teaches, lest history repeats itself. The current system of disaster management in Pakistan has its roots in the response to the 2005 earthquake, which involved the private sector, civil society and government agencies. After the earthquake, the Pakistani government created institutions responsible for disaster preparedness and response at the national, provincial and local levels. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was intended to be responsible for policy-making and coordination at the national level. At the provincial level, the respective provincial disaster management authorities were mandated to establish a system that would be implemented immediately after disasters and disasters – a traditional view of disasters that is influenced by the natural and applied sciences perspective. The natural science perspective equates hazards and hazardous events and considers disasters as hazards. It emphasizes the study of geophysical and hydro meteorological processes. Disaster management activities focus on monitoring hazards and predicting hazardous events. This perspective is clear that hazards are natural but disasters are not.

The lead agency at the federal level to deal with the entire spectrum of disaster management activities is the executive wing of the National Disaster Management Commission, which has been established as the apex policy-making body in the field of disaster management under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. In the event of a disaster, all stakeholders including government ministries/departments/organizations, armed forces, NGOs, UN agencies work through the NDMA to conduct a single window operation. The objective of the NDMA is to develop sustainable operational capacity and professional competence to cover the entire spectrum of disaster risk management at the national level. To map all hazards in the country and conduct risk analysis on a regular basis. To develop guidelines and standards for national and provincial stakeholders regarding their role in disaster risk management. Ensuring the establishment of DM Authorities and Emergency Operation Centers at provincial, district and municipal levels in the risk-prone areas, Providing technical assistance to federal ministries, departments and provincial DM authorities for disaster risk management initiatives. Organizing training and awareness-raising activities for capacity building of stakeholders. Collecting, analyzing and disseminating inter-sectoral information required in all-hazards management approach, Ensuring that appropriate regulations are made for the development of disaster response volunteer teams. Creating the required environment for media participation in DRM activities, Acting as a lead agency for NGOs to ensure their performance is in line with international standards, such as coordinating the emergency response of the federal government in the event of a national-level disaster through the National Emergency Operation Center.On the other hand, during the Senate session, the performance of the NDMA during the flood was discussed and prayers were also offered for the souls of those who died in the flood. Regarding the flood situation, Senator Sherry Rehman said that 63 districts of Pakistan are currently struggling due to the terrible flood. If the House agrees, senators should donate one week’s salaries. During the discussion on the performance of the NDMA in the Senate on the flood situation, Senator Mohsin Aziz moved a motion for the discussion. The federal government’s silence in the flood situation is piercing, the whole of Pakistan should generously help the flood victims, the incidents of flash floods are increasing in Pakistan. More than 400 people died in the flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, people’s lives and property were lost and infrastructure was destroyed. In such a situation, steps should be taken to minimize the damage, other steps including building codes were not taken. You cannot fight with nature, buildings and settlements have been built on riverbanks. Senator Mohsin Aziz said that the NDMA is not accountable, the aid given in the floods is misused, the promises of international aid are not fulfilled or they come in the form of loans, the NDMA was formed 20 years ago but could not stand on its own feet. Many areas of the Indus River have been occupied, many drains including Nala Lei and Korangi have been occupied, operations should be carried out against encroachments on rivers and drains, if local governments do not support these operations, then call the army. Senator Rubina Khalid expressed her opinion and said that what lessons have been learned from the floods of the past? In the past, floods occurred in Malakand division, hotels were built on river lands in the name of tourism and NOCs were given to these hotels. It is not up to us to declare a national emergency. They say they planted trees, maybe there were herbs, now the timber mafia is cutting down forests. Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi said that there should be a detailed discussion on the effects of climate change, the province is also short of money at this time, the government should pay attention to it. I invite the senators to come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and see the conditions there. I request the Chief Ministers of all the provinces to work for the relief of the people of the province. Senator Aimal Wali Khan expressed his views and said that Pakistan has become a hotbed of disasters, cloudburst is a disaster, why were NDMA and PDMA created? Why is the federal government occupying the assets of Rescue KPK? If we cannot save ourselves from floods, how will we save ourselves from cloudbursts? He said that NDMA and PDMA have failed.