Climate change ministry to get NDMA, PMD

Islamabad:The Ministry of Climate Change is likely to get the administrative control of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) as a summary for the purpose has been forwarded to the prime minister for mandatory approval."Keeping in view the disaster risk to the country, it is necessary to have a unified umbrella to deal with the lurking climate change impacts and threats," Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam told a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change here on Monday.Senator Sitara Ayaz chaired the meeting. The adviser said 80 percent of the disasters in the country were caused by climate change. He said the international researches had claimed for 90 percent losses during disasters and extreme climate change interventions mainly due to wrong infrastructure being developed."We have written to the Ministry of Planning and Development to include the climate risk component in the project concepts (PC-1) of every mega project to ensure climate and disaster risk resilience," he said.The adviser said the PMD required moderation in line with the developing trends and climatic risks facing the country. State Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul told the meeting that the public response to plastic bags was commendable.She said the ministry would take strict action against the distributors of fake biodegradable plastic bags. NDMA Member Idris Mehsud highlighted disaster management and risk reduction initiatives and impending risks to the country and corrective measures.The chair and committee members resented the absence of Islamabad's mayor and CDA chairman. The committee recommended the merger of ERRA and other emergency response bodies with the NDMA and said Parliamentarians Caucus on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management should be made active. It also sought a detailed briefing by the NDMA on its interventions.

from The News International - Islamabad https://ift.tt/2AO39vE