Natural disaster Management Committee discusses 2016 survey

 May 30, 2017

A work coordination meeting on a 2016 natural disaster survey was held yesterday morning in the meeting room of the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw.

Vice President U Henry Van Thio, who is also the Chairman of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee, delivered the opening speech at the workshop.

At the meeting, the Vice President explained that the 2016 survey contained data on the causes of loss and the needs to be fulfilled. He went on to explain that the job of his committee included discovering the causes of natural disasters and participating in rehabilitation after the disaster had struck.

“Looking at the survey, we can see there is a lot of work to be done before and after a natural disaster. These jobs include reforestation, relocation of households, constructing sluice gates, levees, bridges, digging sandbanks so rivers and other watercourses can flow smoothly, building dykes, dams and causeways, building shelters, embankments, repairing roads connecting villages, dealing with shortage of drinking water and other problems dealing with water”, he said.

“Of utmost importance are developing villages so that they can better withstand natural disasters as well as reducing losses sustained from natural disasters. However, since doing both of them simultaneously is difficult, the various tasks that need to be done are categorized in order of importance. Thus, it is important that there is collaboration between region and state ministries in drawing up annual project plans.”

The Vice President said that if preventive measures for natural disasters are implemented, then a strong society that can withstand and properly react to natural disasters will be formed. He also urged the various working committees working on the 2016 natural disaster survey to participate in discussions.

In the rest of the meeting, chairmen of the various working committees presented and discussed their completed objectives and future plans for their sector.

Attending the workshop were Vice Chairmen of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee Union Ministers Lt-Col Kyaw Swe and Dr. Win Myat Aye, Chairmen of the working committee Union Ministers U Thant Sin Maung, U Ohn Win, Dr. Myint Htwe, U Win Khaing, Deputy Minister U Maung Maung Win, heads of departments and other responsible officials.

The working committees included the Working Committee for Search and Rescue with Union Minister Lt-Col Kyaw Swe as Chairman, the Working Committee for National Natural Disaster Management and the Working Committee for Searching and Maintaining Funds with Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye as Chairman, the Working Committee for Relief and Resettlement with Union Minister U Win Khaing as Chairman, the Working Committee for Transport and Communication with Union Minster U Thant Sin Maung as Chairman, the Working Committee for Environmental Conservation with Union Minister U Ohn Win as Chairman, the Working Committee for Management of Health Protection with Union Minister Dr. Myint Htwe as Chairman, and other working committees dealing with collecting surveys, reviewing and verifying of losses, dissemination of information, providing vocational training and rehabilitation. 

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar