MANSEHRA: The administration has formed the `deputy commissioner voluntary task force`, the first in the province, to ensure speedy response to calamities in the district.

`We have established the voluntary task force to not only quickly respond to natural and manmade calamities but also work to address problems faced to people at Mohallah and village level,` deputy commissioner Iqbal Hussain told a function here at the New Circuit House on Wednesday.

The function was organised to launch the task force, where heads and representatives of the relevant departments were in attendance.

District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam, tehsil nazim Khurram Khan, district officer of the social welfare department Abdul Rasheed and assistant commissioner Naveed Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.

The DC said he would monitor the task force and would expel those not perform tasks diligently.

He said during normal days, volunteers would take pictures of damaged infrastructure, bridges, roads, streets or walls, heaps of garage and landslides by cellphones and upload them on the government`s website for speedy corrective measures.

The DC said the task force formed underthe slogan of `Mansehra Meri Pehchan (Mansehra my identity)` could also be used in tree plantation and anti-polio campaigns and other tasks executed by the relevant departments in the district.

District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam told participants that he was hopeful that the formation of the task force would help effectively address the problems facing local residents.

`Thousands of local government representatives are on the disposal of the task force for social reforms. I request the deputy commissioner to make LG representatives, too, part of the force,` he said.

The nazim said he had launched the Education Vision and declared 2016 the year of education and that the task force should identify problems in the education department for rectification.

`We are spending more than 70 percent of the district budget on education alone,` he said.

Tehsil nazim Khurram Khan told participants that officials of Tehsil Municipal Administration would undergo training sessions on disaster management.

District officer of the social welfare department Abdul Rasheed said the formation of the task force was direly needed in the district, especially in light of massive damage caused by the 2005 earthquake to public life and property there.

`Volunteers played an important role inrescuing people affected by the 2005 earthquake but their efforts were unsynchronised. Now after the formation of this task force, we can more effectively deal withcalamities in future,` he said.

Deputy commissioner Naveed Ahmad later administered the oath to members of the task force.