KARACHI: While donors and neighbors from near and far send food rations, medicines, shelter and financial assistance, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh is working hard to harness the strengths of Karachi’s businessmen, public-private partnerships and socially responsible corporations.
In a series of week-long flights, the PDMA has received over 7000 tents provided by China, South Korea, France, Egypt and USA. More than $12million have been committed in financial support to be used for the support and assistance of flood affectees through the United Nations, Red Cross and other aid-providing agencies, while Thailand,Oman and others have presented cheques worth $100,000 to the Government of Pakistan. Japan, China and South Korea are providing in-kind assistance to the worth of almost $10 million, including tents, blankets, water purifiers and medicines.
The Planning and Development Department of Government of Sindh, in a presentation to the Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, summarized the overall losses in the different sectors, totaling nearly $52million. Agriculture, being the worst hit, amounts to nearly half the total losses. However, the Chief Minister of Sindh resolutely announced that the government’s development strategy and annual development plan will continue as per plan and schedule as far as possible.
The Chief Minister was also briefed on the World Bank and Asian Development Bank delegations arriving mid-week to meet with the Government of Sindh in preparations for the Damage Needs Assessment.
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In an effort to strategize systematic inclusion of the resource sector in to the relief activities, the Director General of PDMA, Mr Sualeh Faruqui, held intensive discussions with the members of Federal Chambers of Commerce and Industry early this week. The FPCCI will focus relief efforts in the six most devastated districts of Southern Sindh (Badin, Tharparkar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and Sanghar) and work in coordination with the PDMA and district government to avoid duplication of efforts. The FPCCI provided the DG an overview of their operations including the packaging of food rations and non-food items for nearly 30,000 families.
PDMA Sindh and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are facilitating and coordinating in-kind assistance and material supplies from individuals, student unions and volunteers. PDMA Sindh encourages items of direct use to the affectees for instance, high-energy biscuits, blankets, tents/plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, water purification tablets/equipment and basic hygiene material.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2011
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