I REFER to the letter ‘Monsoon and disaster management’ (July 15). I suggest the following precautionary measures to be adopted before the onset of monsoon:

Disaster management teams must visit all villages to educate the population living in rural areas for compliance of standing operating procedures (SOPs) to avert any human and livestock loss in case of floods.

Disaster management must ensure that affected people’s belongings left behind when they abandoned their homes must be protected from any theft etc as was experienced in the floods of 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Adequate arrangements on evacuation of people and livestock must be ensured. Sufficient numbers of boats must also be made available on short notice either by federal or provincial governments.

Sufficient number of water pumps must be made available to drain out water in populated areas.

Provincial irrigation departments must be made responsible to ensure strengthening of dykes/embankments.

Disaster management authorities must ensure the availability of tents on short notice so that the affected people can be provided shelter without waiting in the open.

Security arrangements must be put in place to ensure that food supplies to the the affected people can be ensured as incidents of looting took place in the past.

No political point-scoring be allowed by law-enforcement agencies as there must be one distributing body for food and other essential items.

Civic bodies must task sanitation departments to clean all nullahs in populated areas so that a smooth flow of rainy water can be ensured.

Medical teams must also report to the affected areas with adequate supplies of medicines on short notice.

RIAZ AKBAR
Wah Cantt