Orders preventive measures, faster compensation for displaced families, flood contingency plan
K-P CM Sohail Afridi. Photo: Screengrab
PESHAWAR:
A key meeting of the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department was held under the chairmanship of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, to review disaster preparedness, relief activities and departmental reforms.
In view of a possible global fuel crisis and the provincial government’s austerity drive, the meeting was conducted online with all relevant officials participating through video link. The chief minister was given a detailed briefing on the department’s responsibilities, its subordinate institutions, ongoing relief operations and reform initiatives.
The meeting stressed the need to prepare a comprehensive contingency plan ahead of the upcoming summer season due to possible cloudbursts and flash floods. The chief minister directed authorities to ensure effective and long-term measures at vulnerable locations to prevent flood damage, emphasizing that merely constructing protective walls is not sufficient without assessing their effectiveness.
He instructed officials to review sensitive areas along rivers and take necessary measures, including riverbed cleaning where required, through coordination between the Minerals and Irrigation departments. Authorities were also directed to launch an organized campaign against encroachments on riverbeds and in major cities immediately after Ramazan to minimize potential damage during natural disasters.
The meeting also reviewed the process of compensation payments to Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) in various districts. The chief minister directed officials to accelerate payments, assess the needs of other affected districts and present details of resources required to address any shortfall. He assured that the provincial government would ensure the availability of necessary funds for compensating the victims.
Participants also discussed the proposal to establish warehouses at regional levels. The chief minister agreed with the proposal, directing that warehouses be set up at divisional headquarters in central locations to ensure timely response during emergencies. He also granted in-principle approval for resources required 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 the gradual digitalization of departmental affairs. The chief minister instructed officials to review the dashboard on a daily basis to avoid delays during emergencies.
Regarding improvements in rescue services, the meeting was informed that recruitment for 1,326 posts in Rescue 1122 is underway in the first phase. The chief minister directed that the recruitment process be completed at the earliest and agreed to the creation of an additional 1,125 posts in the second phase. Officials were also instructed to provide funds for the procurement of medical motorbikes for rescue services and prepare a comprehensive plan to supply them to all divisional headquarters.
The proposal to establish Civil Defence offices across the province was also discussed. It was decided that additional rooms would be constructed at existing rescue centers to house Civil Defence offices, ensuring efficient use of time and resources.
