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Download PDF The government yesterday decided to set up a coordination centre in Barisal to ensure better distribution of relief materials and logistic support to Sidr victims following reports of poor relief management.
“Headed by Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin, the coordination centre would be run by the GOC concerned and the divisional commissioner,” Syed Fahim Munaim, press secretary to the chief adviser, told reporters after a special cabinet meeting.
“One coordination office would be set up in Barisal for bringing better management in relief distribution and related activities,” added Fahim Munaim.
The cabinet committee has also decided to provide grants to the cyclone-affected people to rebuild their houses.
The meeting was held at the Chief Adviser’s Office yesterday to review overall relief and rehabilitation efforts after the cyclone. Headed by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, the meeting was attended by the advisers and government officials concerned.
Special VGF programme for over 25 lakh people in the cyclone-hit areas has been extended from December to March for the benefit of the poor, Munaim said.
“The cabinet committee has also decided to improve and simplify the advanced weather warning system and to reconstruct embankments and cyclone centres,” he added.
To address the acute drinking water crisis, the committee has asked the ministries concerned to take measures to restore the sources of pure drinking water.
“The cabinet committee discussed how to restore drinking water sources immediately at the worst cyclone-hit areas,” Munaim said.
“Some NGOs like Brac are already working in this regard,” he said, adding, “Each family will get 15kg rice under the VGF card.”
About power situation, Munaim said power generation has come to normal level.
“Electricity supply has been restored in 41 out of the 56 cyclone-hit upazilas and the remaining affected areas would get normal supply by this month,” he added.
On improvement and simplification of advanced weather forecast system, he said, “In some places people don’t understand the consequences of danger signal 4. Sometimes advanced weather forecast is prepared at district level that does not reach all the people properly.”
“The government is therefore thinking to rationalise and simplify the advanced weather forecast system,” added Munaim.
“For rebuilding houses, the government will give grant [at the range of Tk 5,000-Tk 10,000] to the cyclone-affected people,” he added.
The meeting has also approved a decision to use Tk 90 crore of the education ministry to repair damaged educational institutions and transfer the amount from revenue to non-government sector.
Asked about the differences in death toll statistics served by the government and the armed forces, the CA’s press secretary said, “This won’t happen from today.”
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