Zardari for Providing shelters to quake victims

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday directed that the arrangements be made on emergency basis to provide temporary shelters to the homeless people of earthquake affected areas in Balochistan before the onset of winter.

He made these remarks while chairing a meeting of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr to review the relief and rehabilitation work in the earthquake affected areas of Balochistan.

The President said that it was important to provide corrugated sheets and financial assistance to earthquake affected people to build their temporary shelters before they were forced to migrate to other areas because of the severe winter weather.

President Zardari was also briefed about the ongoing relief work being carried out by the National Disaster Management Authority in the quake-affected areas of Balochistan.

He was informed that three medical teams and one field hospital are operational to provide immediate medical cover to around 3375 displaced people in Balochistan.

Fifteen (15) helicopters were made available for relief work, while damage assessment is being made through aerial and ground reconnaissance parties.

The meeting was also informed that 8,185 blankets, 4,300 tents, 5,600 warm jackets, 4,000 plastic mats, 1,000 sleeping bags and 10,000 ration packs with stoves were being distributed among the quake victims.

While highlighting disaster management strategy for the next five years, Chairman NDMA Lt. Gen. (Retd) Farooq Ahmad Khan informed the President that NDMA has been able to mobilize donors to support capacity building programmes costing over $ 46 million in the next five years.

United Nations Development Programme for Pakistan (UNDP) and Economic Affairs Division have already signed an agreement in this regard.


VIE