Safety measures for Karachi

Coming in the midst of anxiety, caused by the tremors being felt in the coastal areas of the city, the call for separate building rules for the marked areas, which the technical committee of the Disaster Management Committee of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, made at its meeting held on October 25, should serve as a clear pointer to sudden awakening to the need for streamlining whatever disaster management system has remained in force all these past decades.
Needless to point out, the plea in this regard has been prompted by the unprecedented earthquake of October 8, flattening cities and villages alike, killing an incredibly large number of people, and leaving yet unnumbered of them maimed and seriously injured.
Traumatic being its aftermath, even slight indications of tremors elsewhere, can only give rise to awesome ideas of the destructive powers of natural calamities, earthquakes in particular.
As such, Dr Syed Iqbal Mohsin, the Vice-chancellor of the University, who presided over the meeting, will be seen to have rightly floated the idea of the Karachi Building Control Authority coming up with separate building rules for the coastal areas of the megalopolis.
More to this, he also suggested that the Geological Survey of Pakistan should study the 'shocks' being felt in these areas and to submit its report, in order to dispel frightful rumours. Reference, in this regard, may also be made to the need he stressed for reviewing the seismic zone map of the country.
It will be noted that a number of studies conducted in the wake of the calamitous quake of October 8 and their after shocks, have brought to light the threat of quakes hitting Karachi too. Such fears are based on a number of cases, viewed in their historical perspective.
More and deeper research will certainly be needed by competent persons and authorities to ascertain the actual position. Meanwhile, it will be in the fitness of things to adopt every possible measure to ensure maximum safety to Karachi and its coastal areas.
It will also be noted that, speaking at a press conference in Karachi on October 25, the Secretary-General of Pakistan Medical Association, Dr Sher Shah Syed, demanded complete ban on new buildings in old Karachi, besides careful assessment of the illegally constructed buildings, thereby allowing only those to exist which are found to be structurally safe. These recommendations, formulated in the light of the shocking experience of the earthquake in Azad Kashmir and NWFP, should appeal to reason.
For, he urged that implementation of all civil defence rules regarding open space, sideways, and rescue areas should be ensured, and that the fire brigade department be restructured on the basis of towns, under the new scheme of things.
Again, stressing the need for compulsory civil defence training in schools and colleges, strict implementation of building rules and regulations, Dr Syed stressed that a disaster mitigation and recovery plan for Karachi should be prepared.
Moreover, pointing out that Karachi happens to be located in high-risk zone, he said it falls within the duty of the civil society to take preventive action to ensure against disastrous consequences. It will also be noted that while expressing extreme concern about the issues in the treatment of orthopaedic injuries, as also referring to the disarray in relation to sanitation and hygiene, the emphasis he laid on addressing the psychological and psychiatric rehabilitation of the earthquake victims, with post-trauma distress syndrome deserves urgent attention.