10 March 2005	Thursday	28 Muharram 1426

QUETTA, March 9: Quetta District Nazim Mohammad Rahim Kakar has demanded of the provincial government to allocate Rs50 million and provide 5,000 blankets and 4,000 tents for helping the rain-affected people in the city.

Speaking at a press conference in his office on Wednesday, he further demanded that the people of the city be exempted from paying bills of electricity, gas and water till the situation normalized.

He said 13 persons were killed and 12 injured in roof collapses whereas 2,700 houses in different locality of the city were damaged by the recent rains. Three committees had been formed to assess the losses and submit their reports soon, he added.

Mr Kakar said wheat, sugar and ghee worth Rs6 million had been distributed amongst the affected people. The district government, he added, was continuing the relief operation according to its resources.

He stressed upon the government to declare the district as calamity-hit area and withhold the recovery of taxes as citizens were confronted with serious problems.

ORDER: Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf has directed the officials concerned to take immediate steps for clearing all roads impeding relief operation in the rain-hit areas of northern Balochistan.

He issued these directives during a visit to Qila Abdullah district on Wednesday. Destruction of roads and bad weather were impeding relief work carried out by the provincial government with the help of Army and FC men, he said.

The chief minister observed that the consignment of food, tents, blankets, and medicines could not reach in many affected areas due to road closure. He said the provincial government had released funds for providing all necessary relief goods to the rain victims. "We will provide more funds according to the requirements of the areas," he said.

He asked the district administration to soon submit a report on the loss caused by heavy rains and floods in the district, so that the government could provide funds for the rehabilitation of the displaced people.

He said the departments concerned should start repairing water courses and affected small dams. Tents would soon be sent as the provincial government had approached the federal government in this regard.

District Coordination Officer Hafiz Sher Ali and Commandant Pishin Scouts Col Afridi briefed the chief minister on the situation. They said that all the 12 dams filled up with floodwater were safe. There was no danger of bursting as the officials concerned were keeping an eye on the water level in dams.

However, they informed the chief minister that 30 villages had been badly affected in Gulistan and Qila Abdullah tehsils where relief operation was in progress. Closure of roads in Dobandi areas was creating hurdles in the relief operation.

MPAs Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Nasim Turyalai, Abdul Majid Achakzai, District Nazim Qila Abdullah Salauddin Achakzai, Nazim Zarghoon Town Abdul Qahar Wadan and Chief Secretary Major (Retd) Mohammad Naeem Khan were also present on the occasion.