|
|
|
| October 29, 2005 | Saturday | Ramzan 24, 1426 |
Most affected areas accessed: ISPR
RAWALPINDI, Oct 28: Nearly all the earthquake-hit villages in Azad Kashmir and the NWFP have been accessed and help has reached there as the relief and rescue operation continues to gather momentum with each passing day, says the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“Every possible effort has been made to provide shelter, blankets and warm clothing to the affected people before the onset of winter. Divisional, brigade and local commanders are personally supervising the relief and rescue operations in all areas,” an ISPR press release issued on Friday said.
Various groups have been formed and sent to far-flung areas to access the damage and disburse relief items among affected people.
In addition to troops already deployed in Neelum Valley before the earthquake struck on Oct 8, more than 3,000 additional troops have been deployed in the valley to carry out relief and rescue work.
Main relief bases have been set up in Dhanni, Pattika, Nauseri and Deolian while 13 forward bases and 39 sub-forward bases have been also been established in far flung areas to reach out to the affected people there. The forward and sub-forward bases are provided with the sufficient relief items for distribution in far flung areas.
Relief parties of ten soldiers each have been formed at the platoon level which carry relief goods on their back and are providing them to the people on the top of the mountains. Those affected people who come to the forward bases and being provided with the necessary relief items there after necessary registration.
Similarly, additional troops deployed in Jhelum valley have established 16 forward bases and 48 sub-forward bases for effective rescue and relief operations. The main bases have been established in Sawan, Chakoti, Hattian Bala, Sarupa, Gari Dopatta, Chakar, Majhot and Dhani Saiydan.
The relief operation in Jhelum valley is progressing smoothly because the road links have been opened and the supply of relief items by road in forward areas has become easier.
About 22,500 tents, 220,531 blankets and 1,530 tons of other relief goods have been dispatched to the quake-hit areas of AJK and are being distributed among the affected people in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawlakot districts.
In Allai Valley, Army Air Defence troops have been able to establish 26 tent villages where over 1,000 families have been accommodated. Some 2,300 tents have been pitched in 26 tent villages in consultation with the notables of the area. The affected people staying in their tent villages have been provided with the blankets, food and other items.
Two permanent relief centres comprising a tent village, medical facilities, clean drinking water and sanitation arrangements have been established in Chiliana in the Neelum Valley and Chakoti in Jhelum valley. More that 7,000 people are being housed in the two relief centres.
Work on opening roads in quake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP is in full swing. All roads in Rawlakot and Bagh district have been opened while most of the roads in Muzaffarabad district have been opened, except ones in Neelum Valley and some portion of the Muzaffarabad-Chakoti road.
Similarly, most of the roads in earthquake-hit areas of NWFP have been opened, except for portions of the Balakot-Kaghan and Allai-Bisham roads. Progress or work for opening of Kaghan Valley road and Neelum Valley Road is bit slow due to continuous landsliding.
Currently, more than 7,000 troops of Army Engineers along with Engineers Plants are engaged in the effort to reopen and maintain the roads. Five Engineers Battalions are employed in Azad Kashmir while a similar number is busy in maintenance of roads in the NWFP.
Two Army Engineers Battalions are working for removal of debris and construction of abutment in Muzaffarabad city.
A total stretch of 7 km in Neelam valley has been opened while the track from Nisar Camp to Patika has been opened up to 33 kilometres. Two explosive parties are working at Nosehri. Efforts are on from both sides to clear landslides and maintenance of the roads. On road Muzaffarabad and Pir Chorasi a wheel dozer and an excavator have cleared 9 km stretch of road while the remaining one km will be opened shortly.
|
|
|
|
