December 1, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 15, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: A three-member Avalanche Control Unit of World Food Programme arrived here on Thursday to assist the world food agency in delivering food assistance across the snow-blocked passages in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a news conference, World Food Programme spokesperson, Lindsey Davies, said the WFP crack team of three arctic specialists would work hand-in-hand with the Swedish Rescue Services.

She said the team, made up of two Canadian men and one Swedish woman will set up three base camps in the highland areas of Panjao, Bamyan and Chagcharan to help provide accommodation, fuel depots, office space and vehicle maintenance services.

Equipped with skis, mountain equipment, snowmobiles and even toboggans, the team would proceed to Afghanistan, she said.

About the tasks to be carried out, the spokesperson said the Avalanche Control Team would assess mountain passes, and when needed, conduct controlled triggering of avalanches as well as carry out search and rescue for people lost or trapped in the remote mountains.

The team will conduct an on-site assessment prior to triggering any avalanches, if they think a road could fall prey to an avalanche and block roads or engulf aid convoys, they will pre-empt it, triggering it before the convoy is on the road.

She said the team would ski and climb to areas prone to avalanches and assess the snow pack stability by digging snow pits and conducting close inspection of the snow layers.

Following the assessment, the team will decide where it needs to carry out triggered avalanches to keep the roads clear, she said.

Expressing concern about the WFP operations being hampered by the onset of harsh winter weather, the spokesperson said the weather would pose a great challenge to the teams and the WFP’s ability to deliver food.

One metre of snow is expected on the mountain passes, and with below-freezing temperatures the snow and ice does not thaw until March.

Against all obstacles, she said, the WFP is meeting the struggle to push food into Afghanistan in what is perhaps one of the greatest challenges in 40 years of operations.

About insecurity in Afghanistan, the WFP official said it is extremely important that stability is brought back swiftly all over Afghanistan, but particularly in the north and the western part of the central highlands.

The highest priority for the WFP right now is to deliver 30,000 tonnes of food to feed one million people living in the isolated central highlands who are in the danger of being cut off by snow in the next few weeks.

So far, the WFP has delivered about half of what was needed, she said.