DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal), in collaboration with other entities concerned, has developed a plan to meet emergency situations arising from rainfall.
Ashghal held a workshop at its headquarters to discuss the issue. The event was attended by municipalities’ service managers and representatives of mechanical equipment and quality departments.
Engineer Khalid Ahmed Al Obaidly, Head, Treatment Section, Ashghal, gave a presentation on work mechanism and procedures to meet rain emergencies.
Ashghal, the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, National Control Center, Qatar Meteorology Department and other entities have worked together to develop the plan and procedures.
As one of the ways to enhance coordination and cooperation, 220 employees from Ashghal and the ministry will be notified via Arabic and English text messages of a rainfall potential and changes in alarm levels.
The procedures which have been agreed upon are distributed among all parties concerned and involve the adoption of common alarm levels and a standardised mechanism for escalating or lowering down alarm levels for Ashghal and the ministry.
The presentation also included a detailed theoretical exercise of a scenario of increasing the alarm levels, the procedures followed in each stage, and the role of each of the parties concerned.
Ashghal’s preparedness plan for the rainy season, which is implemented by Asset Affairs, includes developing the operations management centre and training work team to deal with emergencies, increasing capacities of the customer service centres and responding to emergencies round-the-clock.
The plan also includes preparing comprehensive equipment of pumps and generators and ensuring their quality and readiness, and distributing backup generators at the main pumping stations during the rainy season for early warning regarding potential emergencies, as these stations are connected to the Central Control Room.
The plan covers developed and developing areas.
For developed areas, it includes carrying out maintenance works and ensuring the effectiveness of rainwater drainage system.
For areas that lack infrastructure, procedures are taken in coordination with the ministry to avoid the accumulation of rainwater in the areas.
The Peninsula
