KARACHI, Feb 11: The federal government has asked the Sindh government for setting up disaster management bodies in each district as required under Section-18 of Chapter-IV of the National Disaster Management Ordinance promulgated on December 21, 2006, it is reliably learnt

This ordinance was promulgated in the wake of the October 8, 2005 earthquake that claimed tens of thousands of lives and devastated many cities and towns in the NWFP, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and northern areas. The material loss in the quake was estimated at more than $5 billion.

The ordinance envisages establishment of a Disaster Management Authority at national, provincial and district level to ensure availability of an active mechanism to deal with any natural disaster with a view to keep the loss of life and property at a minimum possible level. It also provides for the availability of a relevant early warning system with each of the DMAs.

The National Disaster Management Commission and the National Disaster Management Authority have already been established.

Section-29 and 30 of the ordinance also require the federal and provincial governments to set up Disaster Management Fund at their respective level.

The latest directive addressed to all provincial governments calls for creating district level DMAs and providing them with legal cover so that the new authorities could undertake disaster preparedness/mitigation exercise.