Srinagar, May 15 (KNS): 3-day workshop on the “Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies in Disaster Management” concluded at Institute of Management Public Administration and Rural Development, Srinagar here today. The workshop was organized by J&KERA under the Strengthening of Disaster Management capacity component of its World Bank funded JTFRP (Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery project).

The 3-day workshop was attended by the elected representatives from more than 30 panchayat/ urban local bodies across the Kashmir Division and during the course of three days experts in the field of disaster management Dr. G.M Dar, Dr Khurshid ul-Islam, Dr. Mohammad Asharf Dar and Ashfaq Matoo, Executive Director, JKASW a practitioner in the area of disaster management briefed participants about the various aspects of disaster management like role of communities in disaster management, community based disaster vulnerability mapping, availability of disaster kits, dry rations, emergency response, importance of local volunteers in relief and rescue work, preparation of community based disaster management plans and role of councilors in disaster management mitigation etc. Audio- visual documentaries related to topic were also screened during the workshop

The objective of the 3-day workshop was to sensitize and build capacities of the elected representatives of PRIs and ULBs in the area of disaster management in order to enable them to perform better in case of natural disasters at community level.

The workshop is being conducted as part of a series of capacity building workshops which is being conducted by J&KERA under its World Bank funded JTFRP and two capacity building workshops for the” Role of NSS scheme in disaster management and “Preparation of school safety plans” have already been conducted which were attended by the NSS coordinators, NSS volunteers and principals and various functionaries of different schools across the valley. (KNS)