Prof.Dr.Adam Saud
Current floods across the whole country are definitely the result of the climatic changes happening across the whole globe. Due to the climatic changes, weather patterns have also changed. We, as a developing country and lacking resources, are struggling a lot in almost every field of life. Natural calamities in the form of floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones etc happen everywhere including the developed countries. Every country charts out strategies to counter these calamities. Most of the countries have specialised institutions to deal such situations. Pakistan has experienced worst earthquake in 2005 and floods in 2010 during its history. After those floods, finally, we established National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs). This was an effort to coordinate the activities of civil and military administration to deal the situations in a better way. These institutions remained active through the times of the need. However, lack of resources alongwith bad governance, corruption, and untrained society in Pakistan, are the major reasons for the loss of lives and property during such times.
Lacking the resources and expertise, civil administration always requests armed forces of Pakistan to come forward to help people in times of need. It is also worth mentioning that common citizens of Pakistan, regardless of their social and economic status, always come forward to help their brothers and sisters financially and physically during such calamities. Tons of ration, thousands of tents, medicines, and other objects of need are distributed free of cost through donations by common people. Common man is always generous to contribute in the form of clothes and blankets as well. However, such activities need coordinated efforts.
It has been observed over the times that such ‘supporting’ activities are done on personal level which, otherwise, can be more effective if such activities are done with the help of local administration or public representatives. One can use personal contacts to reach the needy. Disorganised activities often lead to non-provision of help to many people. It also results into provision of relief to same families or people of same areas twice or multiple times while leaving many without any help. Since, Pakistan had been facing existential threats from India, it was must for all the college going students to undergo a compulsory military training as reserve force for the time of necessity. That training not only helped youth in military training but was good source of first aid training as well. It used to help youth nourish crises handling skills too.
It is the need of the time to train our youth in educational institutions to handle the crises situation before helping the administration to manage those crises. Most of young people want to contribute during the crises situations but due to lack of training, they cannot do anything. Such trainings must start at school level while colleges should adopt such trainings on the pattern of military trainings which were part of their degrees. Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) intends to introduce Practical Learning Lab (PLL) in all the Undergrad programs of universities. One component of that PLL should be training for disaster handling and management. Furthermore, such training is also need of the time in Madrassahs as well. The training modules can be developed with the help of all stakeholders.
Besides mandatory training of the youth, civil defence organisation also needs revamping on modern lines. A national awareness campaign is the need of time where people must be taught about the disasters of climatic changes. Through such campaigns, they should be urged to plant more trees, refrain using plastic bags, and disposing off the garbage properly. Government needs to implement environmental laws in strict way and violators must be fined heavily.
