Minutes of the 76th WASH Cluster Meeting

WASH CLUSTER MEETING KPk


(Minutes of the 76th WASH Cluster Meeting)

Date: 20 January 2011 – 11:30 Hrs

Venue: LG & RDD, KP, PESHAWAR

The 76th meeting of WASH Cluster KPk was held on 20-01-2011 at 11:30 am in the LG &RDD, Peshawar. The WASH CLUSTER COORDINATOR (Mr. Jamal Shah) and LG & RDD (Mr. Said Rehman, CWC) jointly chaired the Cluster meeting. The meeting was started with recitation from Holy Quran by Mr. Said Rehman. WASH Cluster Coordinator welcomed the participants and after introduction the following agenda items were taken up.

Agenda Point 2: IDPs Response
:

WCC explained two aspects of IDPs Response as:-

1. Vulnerability Survey: He said this survey was conducted in Swabi, Mardan, & Jalozai Camp; in this survey, vulnerable segment of IDPs was identified. He also said that food distribution to vulnerable IDPs is now being distributed according to survey results. About the impact of survey he said that WASH Cluster should response Bajour and Mohmand IDPs according to the results of this survey for communities & camps. He also said that hygiene kits should be distributed in camps according to vulnerability survey to vulnerable population. Any future intervention in WASH would follow the survey results.

2. Continued support to IDPs living in other areas as in Kohat, Hangu, D.I.Khan, Tank & Orakzai etc

UNICEF/ FATA:

Mr. Asif Mehmood informed in detail about the UNICEF FATA response and said that UNICEF has established separate section which deals with FATA; WASH, Education, Health etc. He also said that he is now WASH Officer FATA. He also requested the forum that if any one has information about FATA should be shared with him & with WASH Cluster. He also revealed that separate meeting of WASH Cluster FATA will be held in FATA Secretariat and WatSan Cell will be established for FATA. He also said that returnees need support and we need more support from International NGOs. He also said we will encourage & support National NGOs for activities inside FATA. He further said that the nature of activities should be Early Recovery type and contribute to the purpose.

J & N: The representative from J & N informed the forum that they are preparing a project for returning IDPs identifying the gaps at Cluster level & this will be 3-5 years project.

WASH Cluster coordinator said that the information we have is from the government line agencies as LG & RDD and PHED. He also said that Cluster is dependent on information from partners; comprehensive assessment tool has been developed for the purpose he added.

OCHA: The representative from OCHA informed the forum that tomorrow an assessment mission will leave for FATA. He also informed that 3000 families from Mohmand Agency will soon be arriving in Jalozai camp.

Agenda Point 3: Sanitation:

WASH Cluster Coordinator stated that implementation of type of sanitation response in Early Recovery at community & household level was thoroughly discussed in TWIG Sanitation meetings. He also explained the community approach to sanitation lead to CLTS and ODF villages. He further said household toilets to every one is not possible, however selection of household is important. He also noted that vulnerable families normally did not have sufficient space in their houses for soakage pits.

WatSan Cell: The Coordinator WatSan Cell informed the forum about the UNICEF funded Scaling up Rural Sanitation project, being implemented in the 5 union councils of district Nowshera by IRSP, UN-Habitat and Plan Pakistan. Project is advocacy driven with non-subsidized approach.

Action point: It was decided that other NGOs having latrines components in their packages and working in the same UC must coordinate with IRSP to ensure that the objectives and principles of the project are not compromised. A provincial and District coordination mechanism is also being established exclusively for the purpose.

IRSP: The IRSP representative informed the forum that in Pir Sabak, Kheshgi Bala, Khegshgi Payan, Gundayree & Aman Kot are the project union councils in district Nowshera for the above cited project. He also said that they are coordinating at district level.

ACF: ACF representative was of the view that we should be very careful about the project as more vulnerability will arise after implementation of this project in terms of rehabilitation in the context of floods.

Agenda Point 4: Water Quality:

World health organization representative told that in collaboration with UNICEF they have shared the findings of water testing in all flood affected districts; one of long term solution is proper chlorination mechanism he added. He also said that sharp chlorination is in process in Swat, Nowshera, Charsadda, D.I.Khan & Tank.

It was also informed that the water supply schemes owned by government line departments are supplying safe drinking water; however 90% of community wells & hand pumps need attention in terms of regular water testing & chlorination. It was further informed that water testing was performed in the months of August to September last year and now need re-testing. He also said that water testing laboratory is the property of Peshawar development Authority (PDA). He further said that W.H.O might use WAGTECH KIT at field level analysis for water testing in flood affected districts.

Action point: Coordinator WatSan Cell, to contact PDA laboratory and see if they have the capacity to conduct the water tests to be sent from the flood affected areas and 2ndly whether they can do it free of cost.

ACF: ACF representative was of the view that household quality analysis is a big challenge and should be monitored regularly. He also suggested that water points should be re-tested in W.H.O laboratory and results should be shared.

OCHA: OCHA representative queried about water testing mechanisms in FATA where IDPs are returning. He was informed that till now no procedure is present; however W.H.O will support PHED/ LG & RDD in FATA for the purpose.

WatSan Cell: Coordinator WatSan Cell queried about number of trained personnel in PDA-Peshawar on water quality. He was replied that 3 staff member of PDA were trained on water testing.

ECRDP: ECRDP representative queried about the standards of water testing and informed that Tarnab Agriculture Farms Laboratories, besides soil tests, also conduct water tests for various chemical parameters. He suggested establishment of a water testing laboratory in Kohat.

He was replied that water is tested according to W.H.O standards. It was also suggested that where ever WASH humanitarians are working, it has been decided across the board to ensure regular water tests.

Agenda Point 5: WASH Cluster Assessments:

WASH Cluster Coordinator said that various organizations submitted proposals and shared assessments reports with numerous organizations. He was of the view that we as Cluster should standardize these assessments. He informed the forum that WASH Cluster has started comprehensive assessment in 6 southern districts; results will be shared with Cluster partners. He also said that Global WASH Cluster has developed WASH Cluster Comprehensive Assessment Tools that will be shared with Cluster partners. He will however welcome any comments about WASH Cluster Comprehensive Assessment Tool.

Agenda Point 6: AoB:

1. OXFAM-GB: OXFAM-GB representative informed the forum that OXFAM is working in Schools in Nowshera and has completed assessment. She requested that other NGOs should not select Oxfam’s assessed/selected schools for WASH interventions.

Action points: She was advised to share the schools list with WASH cluster. It was noted that if an NGO has started working in a school then OXFAM has to re-assess other schools & before doing so OXFAM will inform other partners about that. Mr. Amjid Hussain Assistant Coordinator WatSan Cell was requested to attend the Education Cluster meetings for synergy and improved coordination for school WASH interventions.

2. ACF: ACF representative was of the view that duplication in assessments should also be avoided; agencies working in Education sector report to Education Cluster he added. He further informed that ACF was supplying clean drinking water in Nowshera and signed an MoU with PHED/ TMA to rehabilitate 6 flood affected tube wells. He also informed that next week all the 6 tube wells (except one) will be rehabilitated and water supply to the flood affectees will be restored. He also said that water supply in smaller settlements will still be required.

Action point: ACF was requested to inform about number of people not having access to water after their exit.

3. WatSan Cell: Coordinator WatSan Cell was of the view that an orientation session for WASH partners on 3-Ws should be arranged; districts WASH working groups meetings in Charsadda & Nowshera are not being attended by our WASH partners regularly.

Action point: WASH cluster requested WASH partners to ensure working group meetings in all the affected districts, especially in Charsadda and Nowshera.

4. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe: Diakonie representative informed the forum that NRSP is their IP. He said that they are planning to build 100 latrines; 50 in Charsadda & 50 in Nowshera he added. He also said that the design of latrines was changed to permanent structure in schools. He also said that Education department in Nowshera did not give NOC and now they will construct all toilets in Charsadda and will finalize it in couple of weeks.

5. OCHA: OCHA representative informed that ACF is going to exit water trucking in Nowshera on 31-01-2011 and we need to see if it will have adverse effect on certain affected people. He also informed that tube well in WAPDA colony is still not functional.

NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 03 FEBRUARY, 2011 IN LG & RDD,KPk.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks.

……End of Minutes….