ISLAMABAD-Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz on Tuesday stressed the state institutions to make coordinated efforts to control fire incidents at Margalla hills. Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz, expressing serious concern over lack of coordination among MCI, IWMB, MOI and other agencies, to jointly make efforts to control fire incidents on these terrains. He also emphasised to improve reporting mechanism of fire incidents at Margalla hills.
Previously, in pursuance of the orders of the Supreme Court dated June 25, 2018, the Ombudsman after a series of meetings with CDA, NDMA, Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and Ministry of Interior had recommended measures to prevent incidents of fire at Margalla Hills. It was suggested that MCI, CDA, IWMB and the NDMA should work together to develop SOPs to ensure coordination in order to avoid such incidents. It was also directed that Ministry of Interior would hold a monthly meeting of all agencies and submit its report to the Ombudsman secretariat. It was directed to submit annual fire control plan to the Ombudsman Secretariat. It was also recommended that the MCI would equip its pickets on modern lines to control the incidents of fire along with presence of sufficient staff and submit it report.
The representatives of MCI said that two weeks ago, 3 incidents of fire had occurred, which were resolved with the timely action by the MCI. He also said that 400 employees had been recruited for the 32 pickets. He said that two vehicles had been given by the NDMA to meet the emergency situation at the Margalla hills.
The Ombudsman asked that as per the SOP, the MCI had to share report of every incident with other agencies and share the same with the Ombudsman Secretariat but the MCI shared no report was with any agency. The IWMB complained that the MCI had not taken it on board, therefore; it had no information about the incidents. The Federal Ombudsman showed great concern on the casual attitude and poor coordination of MCI with the other agency.