Audit exposes gaps in Punjab's flood preparedness

Report says PDMA failed to develop effective plans, leaving province inadequately prepared for floods LAHORE : The Auditor General of Pakistan has raised serious concerns over the Punjab government's preparedness and planning for floods and other natural disasters, highlighting major shortcomings in disaster risk management in its audit report for the fiscal year 2024-25, which has been submitted to the Punjab Assembly. According to the audit report, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and district administrations failed to develop effective plans to deal with natural disasters, leaving the province inadequately prepared for floods and other emergencies. The report states that, despite requirements under the National Disaster Management Act, 2010, provincial and district authorities did not prepare disaster risk reduction plans, resulting in the absence of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the impact of floods and other natural calamities. The Auditor General observed that inadequate pre-disaster planning for seasonal streams and river flooding led to substantial financial losses for the government. According to the report, the government spent more than Rs7.17 billion on the rehabilitation of canals damaged by the 2022 and 2023 floods in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts. LATEST MOST READ OPINION