KARACHI, Nov 5: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority Chairman, Syed Anwar Haider, has expressed concern over growing fire incidents, re-erecting of hoardings and hazardous effects of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant.

He was talking to media persons after the inaugural session of a five-day “Disaster Risk Management Training Workshop”, organised in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, on Monday.

Mentioning that radiations from the nuclear power plant have put at risk the lives of those residing in its surroundings, he called for provision of safety area around the plant. He said that the ‘disabled’ department of Civil Defence must be re-activated on modern lines for which the city and district governments of the province must act.

He also expressed concern over the state of affairs in building control authorities of the province and the state of railway bridges over rivers, which were at the risk of collapse.

The PDMA chairman said that the draft of a provincial disaster management plan was being prepared, which after consultation with stake-holders would be presented to the chief minister in March 2008. He said the plan would be district-wise modified to cover the area in accordance with its needs.

Recalling that National Disaster Management Authority’s efforts prevented loss of human lives in coastal areas of the province, he said that stock of 30,000 camps was available with the authority for emergency situation.

Anwar Haider said untreated industrial, chemical and sewage was getting mixed with potable water which could cause spread of waterborne diseases.

Earlier addressing the participants of the workshop, UNDP representative Zafar Iqbal said that institutional infrastructure for disaster management was required at provincial level that must not just react at the time of disaster but for its prevention in collaboration with stakeholders.

Other speakers expressed hope that the establishment of National Disaster Management Authority and the issuance of notification about PDMAs would bring radical positive change.—PPI