Flood: imperatives of rehabilitation

While Pakistan faces the worst type of flood catastrophe in its history, a very large part of the country badly affected, millions of houses damaged, standing crops washed away, roads, bridges destroyed and thousands of people suffered, the controversies shrouding the floods make a frustrating reading for any objective assessment. Have we really lost the sense of responsibility as a nation for the sake of petty politics, is the most haunted question the political leadership across the divide must answer.

While the expediency for constructing more dams and barrages in the country has been felt by saner elements, the reaction of some hardliner anti-dam bodies is disappointing. Though it is not the time for opening new controversies but the fact is that long term national interests have to be looked dispassionately. The general perception that the govt (wrongly presumed as the Federal Govt) has failed to cope with the unprecedented floods needs to be looked objectively.

The fact is that the major bulk of rescue, evacuation and rehabilitation work is done by the Federal Govt. As part of the Federal Govt’s Ministry of Defence, the Army, Air Force and Navy have deployed their troops to rescue and evacuate the stranded people, with resources provided by the Federal Govt and under the policy direction of the Federal Govt. Federal Govt’s Baitul Maal is providing meals and other relief items at more than 200 camps set up by it across the country in flood affected areas. Federal Govt’s Federal Flood Commission and Meteorological Department have been issuing early warnings to create awareness about the coming rains. But it is not possible even for the most developed societies to predict the enormity of floods and calamities. Federal Govt’s NDMA is coordinating all operations with these Federal Govt Organisations. Other federal bodies involved in mobilizing relief, contributing in response and participating in post-flood management include: Ministry of Finance and Revenue; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock; Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Water and Power; National Crisis Management Cell; WAPDA – Dams Safety Council; Emergency Relief Cell; Federal Flood Commission; National Logistics Cell; Pakistan Meteorological Department; Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO); Pakistan Red Crescent Society; National Highway Authority etc. NGOs have so far not been able to reach out to the people due to inaccessibility. They can play due role once the flood waters recede. Provincial govts were required to establish and activate Provincial Disaster Management Authorities and District Disaster Management Authorities but provincial response was luke warm to put the system of disaster management in place at local tiers of the govt.

Punjab province did not agree to this idea while the other provinces set up provincial authorities. All rescue and evacuation work has so far been done by the Federal Govt organisations as the provincial govts do not have the army, air force and navy which have been called by the Federal Govt in aid of the civil administration to rescue and evacuate stranded people. By calling in the federal operational bodies, the Federal Govt has timely filled the capacity gap of the provincial govts while dealing with this acute emergency. Federal Ministers, Ministers of State, Advisors and even the President and the Prime Minister have made periodic visits to oversee relief operations and advise administration to put their all energies, resources and efforts together to deal with the disaster effectively and timely.

There is no disputing the fact that the enormity of losses in the floods is not possible to be met by the resources of the country alone. International aid is the dire necessity. As a result of Federal Govt’s interaction with International Organisations, the UN issued appeal for $461 million of assistance for rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood affected areas against which 54 percent of the aid has reached. The response of the international community is quite encouraging, contrarily to the general belief.

Facts speak for themselves. The state owned news agency reported on August 21 that funding for the UN’s aid appeal for victims of Pakistan’s deadly floods rose dramatically to over $800 million, with the announcement of more pledges over the last two days, latest data from the world body showed on Friday. It marked a doubling of the $460m emergency relief appeal launched on August 11. More than 40 countries announced pledges amounting to 254.5 at the special session of the UN General Assembly, bringing the aid total since the natural disaster struck Pakistan to $815.59.

The Information Ministers worldwide are treated with contempt as regards the govt’s point of view articulated by them. But one must give the credit to Qamar Zaman Kaira, Pakistan Information Minster for being very candid, objective and realistic during the crisis throughout the last three weeks. He brims hope and calls for cooperation by all. This is what is needed the most in this hour of trial faced by the nation. It is not out of place to quote him here. He is reported to have said, the devastation of current floods in the country was unprecedented but the response of country’s institutions was adequate and prompt.

Federal Health Ministry was coordinating with provincial departments to prevent spread of diseases in the flood-ravaged areas. Army is a key organ of the State whose responsibility is not only to defend the country but also to provide rescue and relief to people during disasters. The govt was working upon the Swat model of IDPs return and rehabilitation which is a known success story of the democratic govt all across the world and the lessons learnt from Swat relief process would also be kept in mind in developing early recovery framework for the flood affected areas and communities. The govt would give Rs20,000 to each displaced family on returning home and in the wake of reports of infectious diseases from different flood-hit areas of the country, a special National Infectious Diseases Task Force has been constituted to keep an eye on the situation in relation to spread of infectious diseases and take immediate remedial measures.

The task force shall collect as comprehensive as possible information about health conditions in flood affected areas in order to identify and pre-empt disease outbreaks and to share this information in real time with response teams and relief personnel and to help in coordination of relief efforts. Kaira urged the nation, civil society, media, provincial govts and politicians to jointly tackle this unprecedented catastrophe. Suggestions of Nawaz were not rejected but it was agreed to initially set up a committee on the basis of suggestions put forth by Nawaz Sharif to assist flood victims. Later, a commission would be set with national consensus in the light of suggestion of Nawaz Sharif to distribute foreign aid among flood affectees. It had been decided to provide half of Rs40 billion to the victims in first phase with Rs20 billion each by the federal govt and provinces. It has also been decided to initially provide Rs20,000 to each affected family though no decision has yet been taken on imposing flood-tax.

Concluding, one must appreciate that the nation itself has been upfront to help the fellow victims. The establishment of funds at various levels across the country and the suggestion that every Pakistani must contribute at least one rupee a day to face the tremendous challenge is laudable. The 170-million strong nation has the wherewithal to stand up to the challenge provided its leadership demonstrates maturity, political sagacity and rises above petty politics.

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on Sep 1 2010. Filed under Editorials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.