Pakistan: NDMA envisages devolved, decentralized mechanism for disaster management
Pakistan is vulnerable to disaster risks from a range of hazards including avalanches, cyclones, storms, droughts, earthquakes, epidemics floods, glacial lake outbursts, landslides, pest attacks, river erosion and tsunami.
Human induced hazards that threaten the country include transport, industrial, oil spills, urban and forest fires, civil conflicts and internal displacements of communities due to multiple factors.
A reactive, emergency response approach has remained the predominant way of dealing with disasters in Pakistan till now.
The Calamity Act of 1958 was mainly concerned with organizing emergency response. A system of relief commissionrate at provincial level was established.
An Emergency Relief Cell (ERC) in the Cabinet Secretariat was responsible for organizing disaster response by the federal government.
The need for strong institutional and policy arrangements has been fulfilled with the promulgation of National Disaster Management Ordinance, 2006.
Under the Ordinance the National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC) has been established under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister as the highest policy making body in the field of disaster management.
The new system envisages a devolved and de‑centralized mechanism for disaster management.
Accordingly, Provincial Disaster Management Commissions (PDMCs) and Authorities (PDMAs) have been established while similar arrangements have been made in AJ&K and Northern Areas.
The District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) have been notified across the country. The DDMAs are going to be the linchpin of the whole system and would play the role of the first line of defense in the event of a disaster.
The National Disaster risk Management Framework has been formulated to guide the work of entire system in the area of disaster risk management.
It has been develop through wide consultation with stakehodlers from local, provincial and national levels. The framework identifies national strategies and policies for disaster management.
None priority areas have been identified within this framework to establish and strengthen policies, institutions and capacities over the nest five years: these include, institutional and legal arrangements for DRM, hazard and vulnerability assessment, training, education and awareness, disaster risk management, community and local level programming, multi‑hazard early warning system, mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development, emergency response system and capacity development for post disaster recovery.
The NDMA has already embarked upon a five‑year development program to implement the above nine priority areas.
For the purpose, the NDMA in collaboration with international donor agencies, has already secured commitments for the provision of 58 million dollars.