KARACHI: Cells for crisis management will be upgraded
KARACHI, Oct 23: The Ministry of Ports and Shipping will undertake expansion and upgradation work of existing Crisis Management Cells (CMCs) at the three ports to efficiently and effectively respond to natural calamities like earthquake.
“These cells will be equipped with heavy cranes, life sensing equipment, ambulances, fire-brigades and other necessary machinery and equipment besides highly trained rescue teams,” said Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghuari while addressing a press conference on Sunday.
He said that a helicopter might also be bought to carry out air lifting operations in emergency situations. He said these cells would work in coordination with other departments.
“We should be well-prepared to handle any emergency situation so that we do not have to depend on other countries for help,” he said.
Babar Ghauri said that a special team of 250 members would be trained at the institutes in the USA, Germany and Japan to specialize in imparting disaster management training. The trainees would be selected after devising basic criteria in consultation with concerned universities and institutes both at home and abroad, he added.
He underlined the need to conduct a survey in Karachi for identification of most vulnerable localities in case of any natural disaster. “Hill Park, KDA Officers Society, hilly areas of Orangi Town and North Nazimabad are a few such localities,” he pointed out.
Edhi teams: Some 30 people who were injured in the October 8 quake were discharged from the Edhi’s field hospital and another 40 admitted to it on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Edhi Services.
Edhi volunteers in various quake-hit areas have rescued and provided treatment to some 22,610 injured people so far.
Around 890 seriously injured people have been shifted to different hospitals set up by the Edhi Services in Muzaffarabad, Abbotabad and Rawalpindi.
The statement said that Edhi rescue teams had been distributing relief goods, including blankets, warm clothes and food among quake victims.
The Edhi squad has been facing problems in rescue operations due to damaged roads and in many cases they were using donkey-carts and other such means to transport patients and distribute relief goods.
Umer Sharif Trust: The Sindh Home Minister, Rauf Siddiqui, on Saturday appealed to the people of Sindh particularly the Karachiites to contribute generously for the quake-hit people.
He was speaking here at the Arts Council of Pakistan at the launching ceremony of the “Umer Sharif Trust” formed by renowned comedian Umer Sharif.
The trust will collect relief goods and funds for the survivors of the recent quake.
The home minister said that the survivors of the earthquake were facing the toughest time of their lives under an open sky and immediately required shelter, warm clothes and medicines.
Appreciating the efforts of Umer Sharif, he assured him of full cooperation of the Sindh government in this noble cause.
Mr Sharif initiated this comprehensive fund-raising campaign by announcing a contribution of Rs0.5 million.
“I have been spreading laughter in Karachi for the last 25 years and now it is the time for this city to pay back in the form of relief goods and funds for the distressed people with tears in eyes”, he said.
Mr Sharif said that he had been to the affected parts of the Northern areas of the country and the Azad Kashmir to witness the situation which he termed as miserable and most devastated.
He called upon the people to come forward and contribute tents, warm clothes, gloves, sheets, shawls and toys for children.
PIA chief: PIA Chairman Tariq Kirmani, along with Provincial Commissioner Ghazanfar Mashkoor, visited the PIA Scouts Rescue Squad’s base camp in the earthquake-hit area of Ghari Habibullah, Mansehra.
Squad Leader Sadaqat Mehmood briefed him about the rescue and relief activities, according to a statement issued here by the PIA Boy Scouts Association on Sunday.
Mr Kirmani, the Chief Scout, distributed relief goods among quake victims on the occasion. Under his directives, the squad had rushed to quake-affected areas from the PIA Scouts Headquarters in Islamabad had promptly started relief work at Margala Towers. Another team rushed to Ghari Habibullah and yet another team to Bagh.—APP
