DUSHANBE, January 22, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) may be reorganized into the Ministry of Emergency of Situations.

Speaking to reporters in Dushanbe on January 22, the CES head Khaybullo Latipov said that the committee had worked out the program for development of the country’s emergency management network.  The program was endorsed by the government at the end of last year.

The program, designed for 2009-2014, provides for transferring a number of services, such as hydrometeorology, firefighting service, dangerous geological process control, mudslide-prevention and others, to the to the CES.

Asked about the probability of reorganizing the committee into the ministry, Latipov said that that issue depended on the government.

“The issue of transferring the mentioned services to the CES is being solved gradually,” said Tajik emergencies chief, “Therefore it is still unknown when exactly the committee will be reorganized.  However, under the program for development of the country’s emergency management network it will probably take place before 2012.”