PDMA develops monsoon contingency plan 2021

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in consultation with all stakeholders, including district administration, provincial and federal line departments and development partners has developed monsoon contingency plan 2021.

According to Director General PDMA Sharif Hussain, natural disasters caused massive losses to people’s lives, livelihoods and properties, which retarded economic growth. “Under this contingency plan, the authority makes efforts to minimise the losses likely to be caused by the natural disasters,” he said.

The DG said that PDMA being cognizant of the importance of monsoon preparedness and contingency planning has worked out contingency plan 2021 to minimise the impending disaster risk within the province through formulation of a comprehensive plan and its effective and efficient implementation.

The process of monsoon contingency planning was started from the first week of March 2021 by involving all stakeholders.

According to the plan, nine districts of the province are considered high-risk districts during the coming monsoon. The districts are Charrsada, Dera Ismail Khan, Shangla, Upper Dir, Nowshera, Swat, Upper Chitral and Lower Chitral.

Director (Disaster Risk Management) PDMA, Zuhra Nigar said the PDMA had installed flood Early Warning System (EWS) in the upper catchment areas on seven telemetry station established at Swat River at Khawaza Khela, River Swat on Chakdara Bridge, at Panjkora River at Jabalot Bridge Unkor UC Bibyawar, Upper Dir, Munda Head Works, Abazai, Kalpani River, Mardan Ring Road Bridge, rivers/Nallahs to monitor the water level and generate early warning intimation in order to protect the human lives.

The prime intent is to establish streams and rain gauges networks in the hilly areas linked with computer-based models.