'Dissatisfaction over performance': PM Shehbaz refuses to launch flood relief dashboard

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday expressed dissatisfaction and frustration after finding inadequacies in a dashboard built to monitor flood relief assistance and refused to launch it.

The premier pointed out that it lacked real-time updates and was not of international standards.

He directed the authorities concerned to improve the flood relief digital dashboard by adding more required features believing that a dashboard of international standard would ensure better coordination among institutions and enhance country’s credibility.

The prime minister, in a briefing on the dashboard being developed to provide real time information about the flood relief support and its usage, instructed to add more features like the weather alert and others to make it a “world class” platform containing all relevant information.

“We should design a dashboard which the whole nation should be proud of,” said the prime minister who would formally inaugurate the facility on Monday.

The prime minister exemplified a dashboard on dengue outbreak by the Punjab government during his stint as chief minister, which he said had got international recognition as it had contained all the relevant information like hotspots and the provided facilities.

He pointed out the shortcomings in the design and called for further improvements to enable it to meet the nation’s needs and effectively reflect the coordinated efforts being made by the government for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said the flood relief dashboard must contain all the relevant information about every item where the relief items like quilts and baby food was sent and where it came from.

He said the government would provide all required support for development of the dashboard which should not be a makeshift arrangement rather a facility usable even for decades.

The prime minister said the government would hold a conference on Thursday inviting friendly countries and international organizations extending flood relief support to brief them about the latest situation and country’s future needs.

Briefing the meeting, Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority Lt General Akhtar Nawaz said currently around 80,000 more tents were required in the flood-hit areas.

He said the countries including China, Turkey and some embassies had indicated for arranging tents from the local market.

He said as per a survey, the flood-hit people had prioritized food over health and shelter which necessitated measures to arrange food for the flood survivors.

Chairman of National Flood Response Coordination Centre Major General Zafar Iqbal said flood was water stagnant in two districts of Balochistan.
He said since August 31, 70% water situation has improved and that it would take another two to three weeks to recede water.

Chairman of National Highway Authority Khurram Agha told the meeting that the flood-hit communication network has been restored.
He said during the rehabilitation process, the NHA was prioritising the routes of key importance particularly those connecting the provinces.

SOURCE: APP