Secy-level meeting to assess cyclone damage Monday
Friday, 7 December 2007
FHM Humayan Kabir
A secretary-level meeting will be held Monday on the preparation of a damage assessment report on cyclone Sidr that has badly affected the national economy, official sources said.
The Planning Commission (PC), which has been assigned to prepare the damage assessment report and a permanent action plan to fight against such catastrophe in future, will sit with 17 concerned ministries.
After the assessment, according to the sources, the PC will decide on the fund requirement of the government to rebuild the economy in cyclone-affected south and southwestern coastal areas.
Secretaries of the 17 ministries are expected to sit at the meeting Monday with planning secretary and member of the PC Jafor Ahmed Chowdhury in the chair, the sources said.
Earlier on November 20, the PC sent letters to the responsible ministries and divisions for adoption of rehabilitation programmes by assessing the damage caused by the Sidr and long-term action plans so that the government could take necessary steps to fight against such kind of cyclone in future.
The ministries were asked to submit their damage assessment reports by November 4 to the PC.
Quoting the letter issued on Nov 20, the official said, the PC also asked the ministries to send development project proforma (DPP) on the action plan and rehabilitation programmes to overcome shocks of such natural disaster, the sources said.
The letters sent to the ministries or divisions are: ministry of industries, agriculture, communications, water resources, fisheries and livestock, food and disaster management, home affairs, shipping, social welfare, forest and environment, education, primary and mass education, health, post and telecommunication, and local government and energy and power divisions.
"Most of the reports from the ministries and division concerned have already reached the PC. The Monday's meeting will discuss the reports aiming to prepare a complete damage assessment report and funds required for the rehabilitation works in the cyclone-hit south and southwestern coastal areas," a PC official told the FE Thursday.
After ascertaining the fund requirement, the government might finally ask the donors to provide financial assistance to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure and help the affected people begin their economic activities, the official added.
The Chief Adviser at a meeting with the representatives of donor countries and agencies on December 3 placed a fund requirement of US$1.0 billion for the short-term and mid-term rehabilitation works.
The preliminary estimate of the CA includes $250 million for rebuilding a network of coastal embankments, $150 million for aforestation programme, $200 million for constructing 2,000 new cyclone shelters, $100 million for rebuilding schools and $300 million for construction of new roads or rehabilitation of the damaged ones.
The cyclone Sidr hit 20 coastal districts in the southwest where 3.2 million people have been affected badly. It has caused huge losses to lives and property there. Among the 20 districts, 12 are the worst affected, a statement of the food and disaster ministry said.
A secretary-level meeting will be held Monday on the preparation of a damage assessment report on cyclone Sidr that has badly affected the national economy, official sources said.
The Planning Commission (PC), which has been assigned to prepare the damage assessment report and a permanent action plan to fight against such catastrophe in future, will sit with 17 concerned ministries.
After the assessment, according to the sources, the PC will decide on the fund requirement of the government to rebuild the economy in cyclone-affected south and southwestern coastal areas.
Secretaries of the 17 ministries are expected to sit at the meeting Monday with planning secretary and member of the PC Jafor Ahmed Chowdhury in the chair, the sources said.
Earlier on November 20, the PC sent letters to the responsible ministries and divisions for adoption of rehabilitation programmes by assessing the damage caused by the Sidr and long-term action plans so that the government could take necessary steps to fight against such kind of cyclone in future.
The ministries were asked to submit their damage assessment reports by November 4 to the PC.
Quoting the letter issued on Nov 20, the official said, the PC also asked the ministries to send development project proforma (DPP) on the action plan and rehabilitation programmes to overcome shocks of such natural disaster, the sources said.
The letters sent to the ministries or divisions are: ministry of industries, agriculture, communications, water resources, fisheries and livestock, food and disaster management, home affairs, shipping, social welfare, forest and environment, education, primary and mass education, health, post and telecommunication, and local government and energy and power divisions.
"Most of the reports from the ministries and division concerned have already reached the PC. The Monday's meeting will discuss the reports aiming to prepare a complete damage assessment report and funds required for the rehabilitation works in the cyclone-hit south and southwestern coastal areas," a PC official told the FE Thursday.
After ascertaining the fund requirement, the government might finally ask the donors to provide financial assistance to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure and help the affected people begin their economic activities, the official added.
The Chief Adviser at a meeting with the representatives of donor countries and agencies on December 3 placed a fund requirement of US$1.0 billion for the short-term and mid-term rehabilitation works.
The preliminary estimate of the CA includes $250 million for rebuilding a network of coastal embankments, $150 million for aforestation programme, $200 million for constructing 2,000 new cyclone shelters, $100 million for rebuilding schools and $300 million for construction of new roads or rehabilitation of the damaged ones.
The cyclone Sidr hit 20 coastal districts in the southwest where 3.2 million people have been affected badly. It has caused huge losses to lives and property there. Among the 20 districts, 12 are the worst affected, a statement of the food and disaster ministry said.