Floods management in Pakistan

7/29/2019 Floods management in Pakistan

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Floods management in Pakistan

Foreword

Probability of natural disasters in 2012 has been higher. Previous ten to twelve months

have already proved it right. Floods in California and India, avalanches in sischen glacier

in Pakistan, wild fires in southern France, Hurricane in Florida and cyclones in china

have played havoc across the globe. Focusing on monsoon in Pakistan during 2012, the

metrological department made the prediction of 15% more rains during 2012 monsoons.

However, this prediction did not sustain for long and things went unpredictable. As July

went over, it was notified that 40% less rains have caused droughts in many areas and

water shortages can lead to huge agricultural losses. But in later half of august and

September, a new session of rain started affecting various parts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa,

north east Balochistan, southern Punjab and Sindh as well. Apart from the loss of life

huge losses of infrastructure and agricultural land have been recorded as we well. It was

unprecedented and uncommon to have such intense rains in this season.

Blame of such unseen patterns of rainfall can be rightly put on climatic variations

triggered by global warming. Serious concern is that being a developing nation are we so

equipped to beat the climatic variation and minimize our losses? It is enough to say yes.

What Pakistan has faced in 2010 was enough to wake up the government machinery torespond to such conditions

To tackle with such multi dimensional issue our government machinery must be more

active because actually the issue (climate change) involves varied political interests of

different stakeholders on global scale. The complex relationships between different scales

make it difficult to coherently promote sustainable management of floods.Insuficient

disaster preparedness and risk management practices is the result of political choices and

processes and can not be addressed without making significant and durable changes in

the distribution of power in the society.

But unfortunately, the usual sluggishness is persistent and the end result is a catastrophes.

Measures taken to counter floods

In recent times, since NDMA and PDMAs have been operational it has become a practice

that at district level contingency plan is prepared to counter floods. In this plan, pre-


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flood, during flood and post flood measures to be taken are explained and deliberated

upon. Establishment of disaster control room that operates round the clock to facilitate

the communication flow regarding floods. It is to ensure early warning. In pre- flood

activities it is mentioned that before flood de-silting and cleaning of all the drains will be

carried out by TMAs .Encroachments identified by the irrigation department in water

channels will be removed. This process is completed well before monsoon focal persons

are nominated and responsibilities are fixed. During flood most important thing is to

carry out evacuation of flood-ridden masses, to determine how and where to establish

camps for them, how to operate those camps, furthermore, how to coordinate with civil

society, army, donors NGOs media etc when needed.Moerover managing medical

facilities, dewatering and decleaning of the affected areas is of vital importance. In post-

flood activities, estimates of damages are made. Repair work is carried out. Furthermore,

compensation is given after all estimates are made. This is a rough sketch of contingency

plan that is supposed to be executed in case of flood emergency in a district. Now

important thing is that when there is such an elaborated plan existing on ground where

things go wrong.

Loopholes in existing mechanism

First and the most important thing is that weather forecast given by the metrological

department has not been reliable. That is due to lack of technology; but, recently drastic

changes in climate have been really hard to predict and rely upon. moreover it is a

perception among general public that 2010 flood were not natural rather they have been

an engineered that therefore, general public does not take flood warning seriously, there

has been weak culture of disaster preparedness ,rather major focus is on disaster

management. For instance anti encroachment campaign begins just a month before

monsoon normally. That makes it impossible to achieve desirable results. On august 22

three men died and many houses got damaged in a flash flood in Azakhel paeen

Nowshehra .those were also stationed in the river bed. There are seven watercourses

running trough Nowshehra that enter river Kabul at different points. All are obstructed by

silt and encroachment stop whenever there are heavy showers upstream; there is a

flashflood that causes damaged of lives and property. Similarly human resource is not


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channelised well before time and available stock of required equipment is not calculated

and mentioned. Resultantly, when disaster occurs there are mammoth problems.

Thirdly, there is been weak coordination among various agencies. Administration does

not know where the army is operating and NGOs dont know where they need to work.

There is a very scarring example that in 2010 when Tarbela dam got filled, the only

officials were almost ready to release the water back stream towards Nowshehra that

must have drowned areas of khairabad and surroundings. But probably administration

was not on board for that decision .similarly, hundreds of NGOs, national and

international came during 2010 but, till to date there has been rehabilitation work going

on in many among most deserving remained deprived. That shows weak coordination

.furtherly, lack of quick response in post food rescue activities is major problem. At the

time there is no cooked food available, some time there is shortage of tents, other day that

there is a shortage of medicines and an out break of a disease is expected and

innumerable transfermors, bridges communication lines are left damaged.

Fifthly, information, panic, and unrest spread by unauthenticated news cause a lot of

trouble and that also lead to politicization of the event and causes more inconvenience

for the flood ridden public.

End note

Floods are any sort of natural disasters are beyond human control. Pakistan has been

victims of many natural disasters in the recent history. To mention a few 2005 earth

quick, 2010 floods, 2012 avalanche and floods are unforgettable. Pakistan being a

subtropical country and having monsoonal climate is prone to flood.moerover variation in

climate due to global warming cause serious rise and fall in the pattern of rainfalls.

Ultimate result is that of loss of life, land, agriculture out put and livestock .owning to the

technological and economic constraints problem in Pakistan are bigger than the capability

and potentials. Therefore it will be very important for Pakistan to build its capacity in

order to fight disasters. Disaster management authorities that have been working in

country have been doing their job well, but results are not that productive. Problem in

fact lies in the understanding of the concept of disaster their should never be a policy to

wait and see until the flood hits the area. Rather we should be ready for any kind of

disaster. To benign with irrigation department has to play a very proactive role. It is to


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identify, mark and ensure that all the river channels, flash floods routs and other passages

are clear from encroachment. It should be carried out after monsoon in order to ensure

secure next year monsoon. Here is a dire need of desilting of rivers, water channels in

order to facilitate the uninterrupted flow of water. More over, there is a need of positive

and correct coordination among departments and agencies. So that miscommunication

can be stopped. There is need of readily available machinery and equipment to

successfully manage any catastrophic situation.

Revenue department must identify all the areas that are encroached upon and must get

them evacuated before monsoon season gets. Those areas must be clearly marked. There

should be permanent camps which can be utilized during floods as rescue camps. Ample

medical stock must be ensure well before monsoon so that in time of need, that can be

utilized without unwanted delay. There should be a set code in order to disseminate

information regarding flood to the general public. Active involvement of district

administration and collaboration with police. Non government organizations and other

stakeholders can be very effective. In a nutshell it can be said that disaster management is

a full fledged discipline and it need extreme importance it will be highly significant if

efforts are made in order to improve disaster preparedness and then react according to the

situation. That is the way to control, minimize and restrict the damages that flood can

cause.

What should we do?

The government should take care of this problem as soon as possible. Instead of blaming

the nature or making silly conspiracy theories, we should work together so that our

country becomes stronger and stronger because monsoon rains will occur and nature

will not stop unleashing her wrath. It is us that should be prepared. So do you think that

floods will occur this year?

Documents

Floods management in Pakistan