Tag: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

  • Cyclone Biparjoy makes landfall in Gujarat, 125km from Keti Bandar

    Cyclone Biparjoy makes landfall in Gujarat, 125km from Keti Bandar

    The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall at 7pm on Thursday evening along the coast of western Indian state Gujarat, 125km southwest of Sindhi port Keti Bandar.

    According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Biparjoy was equivalent to a strong tropical storm with winds of 100 kph at landfall.

    However the storm has weakened from a ‘very severe’ category to ‘severe’ as it moved northward in the early hours of Friday. The dangers of winds and storm surge are expected to diminish.

    Experts worry flooding will become the most significant factor for millions of people over the next 48 hours. The Pakistani meteorological department warned of widespread dust storms and thunderstorms in the southern Sindh province, with some very heavy rain and winds of 80-100 kph.

    The Impact of Biparjoy:

    India and Pakistan evacuated more than 170, 000 people along the coast in fear of Biparjoy. No cyclone-related deaths have been reported as yet.

    However, there has been a trail of destruction left behind in the wake of heavy wind and rain. In Gujarat, more than 500 trees have been uprooted and nearly 3500 electric poles collapsed due to Biparjoy.

    The storm is expected to weaken first to a cyclonic storm and then to a depression over Southern Rajasthan by today’s evening.

  • Floods in Pakistan: Death toll reaches 1,136

    The death toll from the devastating floods in Pakistan has reached 1,136. According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),402 people have lost their lives in Sindh, 244 in Balochistan and 258 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    Read more- Flood Emergency: Here is how you can help

    The federal and provincial governments are currently providing assistance to the displaced families and now the international community has also poured in their support.

    Read more- World leaders extend their support to Pakistan’s flood affectees

    The locals are concerned that the standing water may spread waterborne diseases.

    Read more- What caused Pakistan’s greatest flood in a decade?

  • Pakistan dispatches aid for flood-affected Afghans

    Pakistan dispatches aid for flood-affected Afghans

    Pakistan is delivering emergency aid commodities to Afghanistan, where severe rains and flooding killed several individuals and wrecked hundreds of residences.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on April 7, revealed that Pakistan dispatched a C-130 plane to Mazar-e-Sharif with emergency relief supplies for Afghans affected by flash floods.

    According to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), flooding and storms killed roughly 22 people and injured 40 others in 12 regions.

    On Thursday, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif remarked that Pakistan is with Afghan people in this challenging hour and will provide them with every possible help. He stated that the Afghan people will receive all available assistance.

    PM Sharif voiced grief over the loss of innocent lives in at least ten provinces of Afghanistan as a result of floods, and urged the international community to assist the Afghan people in the aftermath of the devastating floods in a country already suffering from a humanitarian and economic crisis.

    Read more: Turkey: Food prices surged by 89 per cent, transportation costs increased by 106 per cent

    He emphasised that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should step up efforts to help the Afghan people afflicted by the conflict through the Afghan Humanitarian Trust. PM Sharif suggested that the international world, particularly the United Nations, begin an assistance programme for Afghanistan to offer food, medical help, and shelter to the poor and homeless.

  • Murree, other districts finalise fresh emergency plan ahead of upcoming rain and snow

    Murree, other districts finalise fresh emergency plan ahead of upcoming rain and snow

    The administration of Rawalpindi district, which includes Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Kotli Sattian, Murree, Rawalpindi Tehsil, and Taxila has finalised a fresh contingency plan ahead of the upcoming rain and snow that is forecasted for the hilly areas from Tuesday, January 18, and Thursday, January 20.

    The Meteorological Office has asked all departments to make appropriate arrangements ahead of the snowfall and rain in the region.

    Additional deputy commissioner and three assistant commissioners have been deployed in Murree to avoid another tragedy.

    According to the new plan, much of the focus will be on snow removal and traffic management. Entry in the hill station will be regulated which means not more 8,000 vehicles will be allowed to enter.

    In addition, the probe committee, which is expected to submit its report to Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on January 16, is now camped out at the Punjab House in Islamabad.

    Earlier this week, The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) responsible for the Murree tragedy which killed 23 people, including children due to carbon monoxide poisonous gas in their cars.

  • Rs40 billion irregularities detected in PM’s Covid package, reveals audit report

    Rs40 billion irregularities detected in PM’s Covid package, reveals audit report

    Pakistan gave in to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) pressure by releasing the audit report of expenditures incurred on Covid-19, disclosing over Rs40 billion irregularities in operations, reports Shahbaz Rana for The Express Tribune.

    “The release of the report by the Ministry of Finance is one of the five prior actions that the IMF has asked Pakistan to implement if it wants to get the $1 billion loan tranche by January next year.”

    “The finance ministry issued Rs314 billion less supplementary grants from the prime minister’s (PM) stimulus package due to which citizens of Pakistan could not avail the complete benefit of the announced package resulting in suffering, economic hardship, and many private factories laying off their workers during Covid-19 process,” revealed the report.

    “Against Rs200 billion promised to daily wagers, only Rs16 billion were distributed among them. The vulnerable families were promised Rs150 billion but given Rs145 billion.”

    Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)

    “The maximum irregularities of over Rs25 billion were found against Rs133 billion spent under the banner of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which was equal to 19 per cent of its spending.”

    The BISP utilised Rs133.3 billion during the fiscal year 2019-20 and 13.1 million beneficiaries were paid.

    The audit observed Rs6.6 billion payments to relatively better-off 484,402 beneficiaries due to the absence of any clear policy which needs to be addressed before making any related future payments.

    “Over Rs16 million payments of Covid-19 cash transfers were made to those beneficiaries who had filers’ status and were well-off. There was also a case of withdrawal of Covid-19 cash grants from both BISP and Zakat by the same beneficiaries worth Rs318.7 million.”

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

    “The National Disaster Management Authority’s spending was Rs22.8 billion and the auditors raised a red flag on Rs4.8 billion or around 21 per cent of the spending.”

    “The auditors found mis-procurement on account of the installation of Resource Management System (RMS) by the NDMA with Rs42.5 million cost. A million-dollar loss was caused to the public exchequer on account of the purchase of ventilators at higher rates and China donated $4 million for the construction of 250 beds Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Centre (IHITC), but the money was never used. There were cases of overpayment to Chinese firms on account of the procurement of ventilators.”

    “The NDMA did not impose liquidated damages on supplier firms causing a loss of Rs2.7 billion and $8.3 million.”

    Utility Store

    “The AGP pointed out Rs1.4 billion loss due to irregular and ill-planned procurement of sugar. Another loss of Rs1.6 billion was caused due to irregular procurement of ghee/cooking oil and non-availability of fitness certificates of ghee/oils worth over Rs1.4 billion.”

    “The Rs323 million loss was caused due to non-observance of prescribed flour specifications and another expense of Rs1.7 billion incurred without laboratory test reports. The USC also made excess claim subsidies by increasing the profit ratio on account of the purchase of sugar.”

    Defence

    “The Rs200 million Covid-19 funds were diverted towards the clearance of liabilities and procurement of normal cardiac medicines. During an audit of Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, it was observed from the record that PPE items of the same specifications were purchased at higher rates by ignoring the lowest rates available in the comparative statement of tenders.”

    “The Rs235 million irregular payment was made to Pakistan International Airlines without fulfilling the required formalities against shipment of exactly the same commodity required to be transported through the armed forces’ service aircraft.”

    Other departments

    “The audit observed that the procurements of nine items had been made at higher rates causing a loss of Rs7 million. There were also cases of non-delivery of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by UNICEF having the value of Rs1.3 billion. The Rs10 million discrepancy was found in cases of transportation and food items for passengers returning from abroad, handled by deputy commissioner Islamabad.”