Pakistan: Quake resistant model city in Balakot planned

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani presided over a special meeting of the provincial cabinet that decided to construct a planned earthquake and other disaster resistance model city in Balakot.

The model city will be constructed before the summer. All the stakeholders will be on board and the government would persuade the land owners to cooperate with the government and the government would give them suitable amount to purchase their property in Balakot.

The cabinet meeting attended by provincial ministers, chief secretary NWFP etc reviewed the overall relief and rehabilitation activities and made certain decisions for prompt relief and permanent rehabilitation in the devastating earthquake affected areas.

The chief minister said that it was his government's utmost desire to rehabilitate the tourist's potential areas in the first go to bring the affectees to normal life and help them stand on their own feet. He has pleaded the case of the affectees that the construction of their houses should be done by the affectees themselves that would make the process of compensation transparent and nobody would raise an accusing finger in this regard. The President and Prime Minister have agreed to the proposal and enhanced the compensation up to one lac and seventy five thousand for each house damaged. In addition, the army engineering corps and volunteer would support them. The enhanced amount would reach the province soon for distribution amongst the affectees. The government would provide necessary designing for all construction so that future construction should be of earthquake and disaster resistance.

The cabinet also agreed to expand such a housing approach in other earthquake stricken areas. The cabinet noted "marked acceleration" in the relief and supply position in the affected areas.

The cabinet was informed about the latest updates of the damages. Regarding the statistics of damages, dead and injured, the cabinet asked all those who stayed away from assessment of damages on any reason to register the damages with the police station, TMO, union Nazim afresh. The government agencies will verify such cases and assured that no victim will be left without compensation.

The cabinet welcomed the offer of Al-Khair Trust for the construction of one thousand houses; the government would give a stretch of two thousand kanal of land in Ghari Habibullah. After construction of houses, these houses will be allotted to orphans, widows and deserving affectees alone. The trust will manage and run the 200-house city and will ensure the provision of all necessities in the proposed city, the cabinet was told. The cabinet appreciated the humanitarian gestures of Al-Khair Trust and the philanthropist Masood and noted that they set a glaring humanitarian example for others to follow.

The cabinet constituted a committee headed by Fazle Ali, Minister Education and provincial ministers Mohammad Ayaz, Asmatullah and local MPA as its members that will be responsible for management of all relief, it will look into all complaints if anybody left in the relief activities, he could contact Minister for Education on telephone numbers; 9210894(off) 9211680(Res). The committee will be responsible for resolving all complaints and will reach to the affectees with lapse of no time.

The cabinet paid glowing tributes to print and TV channels for keeping the devastation in the spotlight and highlighting the miseries of the quake-hit areas. These international TV channels also appreciated the role of NWFP government, its elected representatives, and district administrations for prompt response to reach out to the affectees, the cabinet was informed. The cabinet asked the DCOs to complete the survey in their respective districts and submit a report of all the damages in their respective areas. The meeting reviewed the relief and other activities in the tentage villages and agreed to set up more tentage villages for the affectees. It also directed for enhanced relief in certain districts. The cabinet also asked the Food department to issue Ration Cards to the affectees.

The cabinet was briefed about the overall law and order situation in the province with particular reference to the five earthquake affected districts. The cabinet asked for more vigilance. The cabinet asked for more crime control. It asked the police to respond to its responsibility and bring further improvement in the law and order situation in Peshawar and other areas. The cabinet empowered minister of law to look into the complaints of non-registration of FIR. The aggrieved can approach minister law for the registration of FIR who would look into such complaints and decide on merit.

The cabinet approved to purchase vehicles for police that will be some sort of force multipliers. The chief minister asked the police head to maintain the vehicles in good condition. Mobile vehicles deputed for patrolling should be repaired and kept in good condition, he added.

The cabinet recommended to the federal government to hand over medical equipments being left out by the foreign teams that came for the prompt health cover to the affectees. The provision of such latest equipments will cover up for the damaged health infrastructure as the existing health infrastructure has been devastated by catastrophic earthquake.

The cabinet endorsed to give monthly stipend to the head of affected areas so that he could arrange necessities of daily life.

The cabinet okeyed the plan for the provision of all facilities in newly constructed DHQ hospital Haripur. The cabinet asked the health department to submit detailed requirements of the DHQ hospital so that the hospital could be equipped and make it operational where the injured and affectees of the quake could be given proper health cover.

The cabinet has already recorded in its earlier meeting to waive off the house building and agriculture loan in the affected areas.

The chief minister in his remarks said that there were signs of improvement in the quake affected areas. He appreciated the role of all those involved in the relief measures. He said that the spirit and humanism for the affectees was at the mark that should not fade away. The federal government has already agreed for the reconstruction of government buildings and services in public sector that would cost Rs. 17 billion adding that the compensation to the affectees would continue in a transparent manner. It was the responsibility of a government to rehabilitate the affectees of any disaster. He thanked the President and Prime Minister for enhancing the compensation amount and added that once Rs. 80 billion were spent on the rehabilitation and reconstruction, the affected areas would give a more alluring and beautiful look.

He said that the enhanced compensation to affectees would start within two weeks. He said that there would be a change in the entire outlook of the affected areas. He said that presently schooling and healthcare had been set up in tents and added that three shelter homes established in Peshawar would have all facilities including feeding, health cover etc.

The chief minister said that protection to lives and property of the masses was the prime responsibility of the government and he would ask for an action against the irresponsible in the police. He would not compromise on crime.

He wanted the criminals to be brought to justice. There should be zero level tolerance against criminals. He asked the police to resolve the traffic problem in Peshawar and other cities. He asked the elected representatives to do away with the approach of influencing the transfers and postings of police officials. He directed for registration of cases

The chief minister said he had asked the federal government to deploy 50 FC platoons for protection of foreign teams involved in the relief operation in affected areas. The government would again talk to the federal government to speed up the deployment of required strength of FC.