PDI Flood Advocacy Team Calls on - Umerkot Deputy Comissioner

Particularly Development Initiatives ( PDI ) Media Coordinator Faheem Raza & Saleem Abbasi on 31 May Thursday held meeting with Deputy Commissioner of  Umerkot District , Mr Ummed Ali Shah which was held at his office .

In the meeting various issues with connection to administration preparedness to cope with possible natural calamities, performance of Irrigation system work strengthen vulnerable weak water channels and canal dykes, issues facing by administration enhancing capacity building of concern relief departments, early warning system and revised Disaster Contingency plan of 2012 and illegal bunds made by local elites came under discussion in advocacy meeting with Deputy Commissioner of Umer Kot.

  In brief introduction PDI Media Coordinator and Research Officer told Deputy Commissioner that Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) has strongly believe that without adopting participatory approach in developing schemes and in other policies could not achieve desirable results. Saleem Abbasi told DC that PDI with support of civil society representatives established Peoples Accountability Commission on Floods a network of volunteers and raised voice for rain affected victims of 2011 and released more than 20 research reports in which different issues of rain affected victims were highlighted and shared with policy makers, civil society representatives.    

    Deputy Commissioner told PDI team that district administration is facing enormous issues to implement prepared Disaster Contingency Plan 2012 to avoid major human rain flood or disaster devastation   in district. He added that keeping in view of 2011 rain flood district administration has taken precautionary measures and suggested various recommendations to cope with any possible rain flood devastation in the district.He said that district does not have river or stream and the average flow of canals Viz Thar and Mithrao canals are depending upon rains intensity. He said that district administration major challenge is to remove encroachments at Old Dhoro Escapes and  very poor and slow progress in strengthening of embankments  and illegal Bunds made by local elites within old Dhoro escape passes in various parts of district .He expressed his   deep concerns and said that due to encroachments Zamindari Bunds water not flow in smooth natural manner and it badly obstruct natural flow of flood water causing tremendous pressure on actual bunds.“ I don’t have magistrate power and without having power I cannot  remove encroachment from natural paths” he said .  He added that in present prevailing commissioneratre system, district does not have funds in lieu of disaster management. He added that district administration in its revised Disaster Contingency Plan has been identified vulnerable points in Canal Banks and copy is attached with Disaster Contingency Plan.He added that previous experience of 2011 flood revealed that due to tribal clashes in district administration faced difficulties to evacuate communities and most villagers resisted to evacuate because of their livestockHe added that district administration chalked its strategies in pre flood, during flood and after post flood in light of it drafted Disaster Contingency Plan for year 2012 and issued directions to concern departments.

 He added that district administration has been notified the names of lines department officials in different taulka and copy are attached in 2012 Disaster Contingency Plan. 

He added that keeping in view of past experience   district administration suggested that on permanent basis wireless station for irrigation Department in district and demanded that it should be established on permanent basis .

 He told PDI visiting team district administration emphasized upon irrigation department that with joint patrolling of canal banks and special monitoring teams have been constituted for patrolling of banks especially at vulnerable points and copy is attached with disaster contingency plan.       

He added that administration has established district flood control room headed by D.C DDMA who is inchrage of and its other members are police representative with wireless, rangers official with wireless , health department , population department, social welfare department , local department and education department official nominated as a  members of Flood control room .

  He said that distraction administration has been notified buildings for setup of relief camps in case of rain flood calamity in district and list is attached with disaster contingency plan .

For evacuation of communities and early warning mechanism he, told PDI team that previous experience of rain flood devastation, administration has experience that without consent of tribal elders people were not ready to evacuate their native places. He added that we have included names of tribal leaders in our committees and after receiving information from Met Department and other concerned agencies information would be disseminated among communities through FM radios involving tribal elders.

   

End.