The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved Rs2.5 billion funds for relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas of the province.
In this regard, a summary has been approved by the provincial cabinet. Besides, a letter has also been sent by the establishment and administration department to the relief and rehabilitation department to ensure implementation of the decision and furnish a report to this end.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan termed the provision of immediate relief to the flood victims and their rehabilitation a top priority of the government. He said that government would leave no stone unturned to provide relief to the flood victims.
He said that the flood victims were not alone as the provincial government stood by them. He said that all the available resources would be utilized for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. “As the situation gets better, steps would also be taken to rehabilitate and repatriate the affected people,” he added.
CM says affected people will be repatriated as the situation gets better
In light of the chief minister’s directives, relief and rehabilitation activities are underway in different flood-hit areas. So far 24 roads have been reopened and the supply of electricity has also been restored from 35 feeders in Dir Lower. Similarly, 34 food packages and 60 tents have been distributed among the flood victims in the district.
The district administration of Dera Ismail Khan has provided food items to 76,000 households and the dewatering operation is also in progress in the affected villages. The affected population is being shifted to temporary relief camps while the affected areas of Dera Ismail Khan are being rehabilitated.
Similarly, one kilometer of Karora-Ajmer road has been completely restored in Shangla district.
The district administrations of Peshawar and Charsadda are also providing assistance to the flood victims while a medical relief camp has also been established for the affected people.
Meanwhile, there is still a flood-like situation in parts of the Mansehra district and the administration through the army’s helicopters has dropped food and other essential goods for 600 affected families in Dubai, Ranowali, and Senior Dara areas.
Deputy Commissioner Ahmed said that Karakoram Highway was cleared and a damage assessment survey was also being finalized. “We have been facing difficulties in reaching the marooned pollution as link roads have been completely washed away,” he said.
Malakand Commissioner Shaukat Ali Yousafzai said that district administrations were taking rescue and relief measures in the flood-affected districts of the division.
He said that relief and rehabilitation activities were underway in Shangla; Chitral Lower and Upper; Dir Lower and Upper; and Swat. He said that food, medicines, and other essential items were being provided to affected people.
He said that link roads and bridges were being restored. “Warehouses are being built in Madyan, Khawazakhela, Matta, and Mingora where food and non-food items will be stored for relief activities,” he added.
The Malakand commissioner said that assistance was sought from Pakistan Army Engineering Corps for the installation of bridges on an emergency basis. He said that the services of the district administration, as well as the army, other relief organizations, Rescue 1122, police, and Levies were commendable in the rescue and relief activities.
Meanwhile, a two-story house collapsed in the Mota Khan area of Alpari in Shangla district due to heavy rainfall, burying three children under the ruble.
However, the Rescue 1122 teams retrieved the children and shifted them to the district headquarters hospital Alpari. Two boys stranded in the Khan Khwar River were also rescued safely.
Deputy Commissioner Ziaur Rehman told journalists that relief and rehabilitation were started and flood victims were being provided with non-food items in their respective areas. He said that the partially damaged government buildings were also made functional.
Adviser to Prime Minister Amir Muqam visited flood-affected areas in Shangla on Sunday and promised that Rs1 million be given to the heirs of those people, who lost their lives in the flash floods. He also met the people whose houses were damaged.
In Dir, the district administration cleared Lajbok Dara road, Tauda China road, and Utila Dherai road with the help of heavy machinery.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zubair Khan Niazi along with other officials visited the family in Shalkanai Khal that lost three children in a roof collapse incident the other day.
In Bajaur, several areas of the hilly Barang tehsil have been cut off from the rest of the district for the last several days as various link roads have been damaged by flood and landslide.
The residents of the area said that various localities of the Gar Shamozi region of Barang tehsil were disconnected from the rest of the district for the last three days.
Meanwhile, Inspector General Frontier Corps (FC) South Maj Gen Mohammad Munir Afsar on Sunday visited flood-hit areas of Tank to review the relief operation.
He also visited the flood-affected area of Gara Baloch and also took an aerial view of the flood-affected areas of Tank. He distributed rations and tents among the affected people.
