PESHAWAR: The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF-II) Project of the UNDP organised a district-level stakeholder coordination and communication workshop in Upper Chitral to highlight the objectives and achievements of the project and record feedback from the communities and the government departments for immediate action.

The provincial team of the GLOF-II Project conducted the workshop, which was attended by representatives of the district administration, social welfare department, forest department, PDMA, irrigation department, Rescue-1122 and members of the local Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Committee.

Earlier, two such workshops have been conducted in Lower Chitral and Upper Dir.

The overall impact of the climate change on Pakistan and the mitigation actions by the GLOF-II Project were also discussed. The workshop has not only enhanced the capacities of the sub-national institutions, but also ensured the ownership of these departments in the development endeavours for these vulnerable communities.

Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Committee general secretary Mohammad Nabi

Khan said that Reshun was one of the most vulnerable valleys of Chitral, which was evident from the damage caused by recent floods as well as the overwhelming river.

He said that Reshun valley was eroding from both ends. He said that they were anxiously waiting for

the early warning systems as promised by the programme. He said that the early warning system would save them from damage by timely intimating them about the floods.

Tehsil nazim Sardar Hakim said that three of the most vulnerable valleys of upper and lower Chitral were part of the GLOF-II programme, but there were scores of other valleys that were equally vulnerable and needed immediate attention.

He urged the GLOF-II management and UNDP to scale up their interventions and include all the vulnerable valleys of Chitral in the project.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2022