ABBOTTABAD, Oct 19: Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has stressed the need for swift provision of temporary housing facilities to the quake-affected people. He was speaking during a visit to Kohar Mera here on Wednesday to inspect the site for the establishment of a tent village here. Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, IGP Riffat Pasha, officials of provincial and district administration were also present on the occasion.

Mr Durrani said the government was moving fast to pull out affected people from the quake-hit areas, adding: “We are utilising all available resources for the establishment of tent cities.”

He said that water and power supply along with other social services would be extended to the tent villages and work on providing basic infrastructure had started.

“Planned and efficient services such as education, healthcare, sanitation etc will be ensured”, he added.

He said the works department should utilize bulldozers and other machinery to level the sites, where affected people could be provided basic facilities.

Mr Durrani said the tent villages would go a long way to rehabilitate the quake victims in Abbottabad, Mansehra and surrounding areas.

He maintained that the provincial government had already selected three sites in Peshawar for setting up rehabilitation centres for destitutes, including women and children. These areas include former Afghan refugee camp in Jalozai, heath department in Hayatabad having 106 rooms and building of PITE project of education on Charsadda Road.

Mr Durrani said the rehabilitation centres would provide quack victims with all basic facilities such as housing, education, healthcare and all expenses for shifting them to the centres would be borne by the provincial government.