LAHORE: A delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab office here on Wednesday. The delegation also included officers from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
The JICA delegation toured the PDMA control room, where Director General Irfan Ali Kathia provided an overview of the authority’s operations. He explained that the control room maintains 24-hour communication with all districts, ensuring effective coordination during emergencies.
The briefing highlighted the ongoing relief activities addressing the current heat wave in Punjab.
The DG Irfan Ali Kathia emphasized that all available resources are being utilized to manage the heat wave situation. He also described the robust communication system in place with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), PMD, and other relevant bodies. This system enables the issuance of advance warnings and alerts for heat waves, rain floods, and other natural disaste
rs.
PDMA’s efforts in rehabilitating areas affected by natural calamities, as well as their preparedness for various challenges such as floods, COVID-19, dengue, drought, smog, and heat waves, were also discussed. The authority’s role in helping farmers by estimating crop damage due to climate change-induced extreme weather was noted as a priority.
The JICA delegation expressed their admiration for PDMA’s operational efficiency and coordination with other institutions. They pledged to provide all possible support to PDMA Punjab, recognizing that no country can tackle natural calamities alone.