CDA lacks trained workers, equipment

[LRE]

CDA lacks trained workers, equipment



Saturday, July 19, 2008
Noor Aftab

Islamabad

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) was not likely to play its due role in the Flood Relief Cell set up as part of preparations to cope with any untoward situation in the ongoing monsoon season because it badly lacks trained workers and equipment required to undertake rescue operations, ‘The News’ has learnt here Friday.

Sources said CDA staff members, included in the recently established cell from various directorates such as sanitation, sewerage, environment and municipal administration, have any adequate training or vast experience of rescue operations.

The cell, mainly depending on the civic body, would carry out necessary rescue operations during the flooding and maintain constant liaison with all the concerned for compiling a comprehensive data, which helps in taking precautionary or remedial measures. It must have warehouse meant for stocking of non-perishable relief goods, which can be rushed to the affected areas at a short notice.

“Most of the CDA workers included in the cell even did not have proper knowledge about water pumping operations helpful in removing water from streets or other low-lying areas,” the sources said.

Astonishingly, the efforts being made to set up a CDA-powered Disaster Management Cell (DMC) for the last one and half years have so far failed to put anything concrete on the ground.

The plan initiated after the devastating 2005 earthquake was based on the Emergency Preparedness Framework comprising six departments including vulnerability assessment, planning, institutional framework and information system, warning system, rapid response system and public education.

It was decided after holding extensive talks for five months that two operation rooms including emergency field control room and emergency control room would be set up in case of any crisis-like situation.

There was also a plan to develop enhanced coordination among all the relevant departments to strengthen DMC, but so far neither was such coordination ever seen nor any concrete work was done regarding parameters defined in the initial plan.

Establishment of a committee comprising prominent social figures and representatives of non-governmental organisations, aimed at providing a platform to mobilize public in case of any emergency, is still a far cry.

A senior CDA official fully involved in the process, who requested not to be named, said the staffers were included into the Flood Relief Cell in a hurry without any necessary spadework and they would certainly face difficulties in carrying out rescue or rehabilitation operations if any such situation appeared in the monsoon season.

Director Municipal Administration Momin Agha told ‘The News’ that CDA was fully prepared to help carry out rescue operations, if needed, in the monsoon season.

He said a car plunged into the Nullah Kurang yesterday was pulled out by the CDA workers that showed their capability to handle any untoward situation.

To a question about DMC, he said the steps were being taken to make the DMC functional, but “we are facing some hurdles in terms of required staff because the government has not yet lifted ban on new recruitments.

“The available staff members are being imparted training and 200 out of them have already completed their training in various disciplines including fire fighting, rescue and rehabilitation of affected people,” he said.

Momin Agha said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was imparting training to 85 CDA employees that would be completed soon.


http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=125074