KARACHI: The Planning Commission has decided that development projects will be approved only if disaster-risk-reduction measures are incorporated at their initial stages, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday.
According to the new guidelines, vulnerability from disasters must be kept in view while planning development projects and disaster-risk-reduction measures incorporated at the design, planning and implementation stages. The guidelines have been sent to the chief secretaries of all the four provinces.
A checklist that should also be made part of PC-I and PC-II for the consideration forum i.e. DDWP, CDWP, PWDP and ECNEC is as follows:
Has there been a participatory situation analysis? Have disaster management experts, technicians and specialists participated in the project preparation? Have vulnerable stakeholders, especially women, been consulted? Have the private sector and civil society organisations been involved? Has the analysis of stakeholders been accomplished? Does the project incorporate poverty-alleviation and social-equity dimensions, considering that poor people are generally most exposed to disaster risk? Will the project facilitate the access of vulnerable groups to social safety nets, health, knowledge, education and vocational training? Does the project comply with applicable laws, regulatory frameworks, and by-laws? Are there clear definitions of roles and responsibilities for institutions, organisations and individuals to ensure that the project complies with applicable laws and regulations? Is there an inspection mechanism in place to ensure compliance with laws, rules and by-laws during construction and operational phases? Does the project promote capacities to assess and monitor local, regional and trans-boundary hazards? Does the project follow existing disaster-related rapid impact and needs-assessment guidelines? Does the project enable the utilisation of existing disaster-related rapid impact and needs-assessment guidelines? Does the project promote capacity building at the community level for disaster management and risk reduction? Specifically, does the project sensitise vulnerable groups, such as informal sector workers on physically and socio-economic risks? Is there a hazards map for a certain locality and region? Has the hazards map been utilised in the project design and risk assessment? Has community-based local knowledge been incorporated, re-evaluated in the project design and project operational procedures? Is an early warning system incorporated in the project design and operations? Is there a use for the early warning system during normal times?
