A three-tier system to manage relief supplies

After the earthquake, a special department was set up to manage relief supplies. Wang Zhengde, secretary of Shifang Civil Affairs Bureau, was appointed head of the deployment site. He is responsible for the deployment of all supplies except medicine and meat products. Yesterday, Wang Zhengde explained the system to a reporter.

Reporter: How do you supervise the deployment of supplies?

Wang Zhengde: We have a three-tier (township, village, and group) responsibility system. Supplies are distributed from a township to its villages, from a village to its groups, from a group to individual villagers. Our department was set up to oversee the whole process.

Firstly, we register supplies. Supplies have to be formally registered, whether they are from the state, society or individuals. Then, they are classified and stored in different warehouses: W1 for quilts, clothes, knitwear, etc; W2 for equipment such as tents, etc; W3 for food, mineral water, drinks, dairy products and so on.

Reporter: How do people get access to the supplies?

Wang Zhengde: They don’t have direct access. They have to go through the heads of the relief site or township. Firstly, they need to make out a deployment list. After confirmation, a distribution list is filled out. Then, they can pick up supplies from the warehouse.

No overnight transportation of supplies

Reporter: How do you make sure supplies are not diverted?

Wang Zhengde: Supplies are transported in warehouse vehicles. Often a government official accompanies them. When they arrive at townships and villages, the township-level institution has to provide a receipt with an official stamp. It will be taken back by the driver. Overnight transportation of supplies is not allowed.

Reporter: How do you ensure that supplies reach districts in urgent need?

Wang Zhengde: Priority is given to badly-hit disaster areas, then the less badly hit, then rescue troops, and finally districts that were not badly damaged in the earthquake.

300,000 tons of supplies distributed

Reporter: But we have seen batches of mineral water and instant noodles in areas that were not badly hit.

Wang Zhengde: It happened in the early stages because the roads to disaster areas had not been cleared and supplies were deposited wherever the trucks could get to.

Reporter: How much has been transported so far?

Wang Zhengde: 300,000 tons of supplies have been sent to people in disaster areas.