Experts call for robust local govt structures to drive inclusive climate-resilient infrastructure policies

ISLAMABAD: Experts have urged the government to set up strong local government structures to ensure participatory policy-making for climate-resilient development infrastructure.

Senator Sherry Rehman stated this while speaking at the launch of a research report here on Wednesday that looks into the causes and effects of those floods.

The launch of report was jointly organized by the Alliance for Climate Justice and Clean Energy (ACJCE), a voluntary network of think tanks, civil society organizations, activists and academics, and its founding member organization, Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED).

The participants talked about the losses and damages caused by faulty water and drainage infrastructure.

Sherry Rehman emphasized the need for an adaptation strategy to safeguard marginalized communities from the adverse impacts of climate change.

The lead author of the report Dr Ahsan Kamal said that flawed water infrastructure exacerbated the impacts of last year’s super floods in several parts of Pakistan.

The research report is based on case studies on Left Bank Outfall Drain and Right Bank Outfall Drain in Sindh, Chashma Right Bank Canal in Damaan region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, small dams across Balochistan and large dams in Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to report, these structures have caused many disasters over the last decade or so because of their unsuitable location, poor design and incompatibility with their natural surroundings. 

Zain Moulvi, a legal expert pointed out that IFIs have acknowledged the problems with these projects in at least two cases – namely Left Bank Outfall Drain and Chashma Right Bank Canal.

But, he said, this acknowledgement has not led to any changes in these projects let alone to any compensation to the people being affected by them.

At the end of the launch, Azhar Lashary, a director of PRIED demanded that the IFIs must acknowledge their role in creating and complicating Pakistan’s climatic, energy and economic crises.

He also demanded that the IFIs must also compensate the communities affected by the projects funded by them, revoke all the loans and surcharges incurred by these projects and work for their decommissioning as well.