PESHAWAR: The relief, rehabilitation and settlement department has identified 74 places across the province to set up relief camp in case of any natural disaster or an emergency situation.

The places have been notified by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

The notification said the places had been identified as a precautionary measure to provide immediate relief to the affected-areas in case of disasters and emergencies.

A spokesman for the department, Latifur Rehman, said the places were identified with the consultation of the district administrations in 45 tehsils of 16 districts, while the identification of such places in other districts was under way.

The districts, where the places have been identified, include Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan Lower and Upper, Kolai Palas, Charsadda, Nowshera, Upper and Lower Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

Shangla and Swat districts have 11 such places each, Mansehra six, Buner, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan five each, Upper Kohistan, Nowshera and Lower Dir four each, Battagram, Lower Kohistan, Kolai Palas, Charsadda, Upper Dir and Lower Chitral three each, and Torghar one.

Mr Latif said those places not only offered shelter but temporary schools, health centres and food would also be available there for affected people.

He said during an emergency, if the relocation of population to relief camps was considered to be necessary, then the government would also ensure the provision of basic necessities, including schools, health and food, at those points.

The spokesman said the relevant district administration would make proper planning to provide shelters, drinking water, schools, health centers and in case of relocation to camps, it would inform the people during emergency.

Also a statement issued here on Monday said the relief department and its subordinate organisations, including PDMA, Rescue 1122 and civil defence, were observing the anniversary of the Oct 8, 2005, earthquake as a national day to spread public awareness of natural disasters.

It quoted relief secretary Mohammad Abid Majeed as saying that KP faced several types of natural hazards like earthquake, droughts, landslides, floods, forest fires and glacial lake outburst floods due to its geographic and climatic conditions.

He said climate change was affecting the upper parts of the province, including Hazara and Malakand.

“To prevent the melting of glaciers, the provincial government is undertaking several steps. Under the Glof-II project, the government will undertake plantation over 30,000 hactres of land in the districts, where glaciers are located,” he said.

The secretary also said more than 250 ‘protection infrastructures’ were also being set up in those districts to protect local population in case of any natural disaster or an emergency situation.

He said the department would arrange seminars, walks and other events to spread awareness of natural disasters among people.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2019