Rebuilding will take up to five years: Govt, donors review relief
By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Pakistan and international lending agencies have estimated that the ongoing earthquake relief operation in Azad Kashmir and NWFP would be completed in a year but the reconstruction of houses and infrastructure would take four to five years.
On Tuesday, Dr Salman Shah, adviser to the prime minister on finance and economic affairs, and Relief and Reconstruction Authority Chairman Lt-Gen Mohammad Zubair, had a meeting with the local heads of donor agencies, including UNDP, WB, ADB, DFID-UK, EU and Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC).
The meeting was told that the first draft of the damage assessment report would be ready by Nov 5, a full week before it is finalized in consultation with all stakeholders.
The document would then be made public at the international donors’ conference in Islamabad on Nov 19.
Prepared jointly by the UN, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, the document will comprise two volumes. The first volume will focus on strategies and options to complete the relief and recovery phase in the first twelve months, while the second part relating to reconstruction of homes and infrastructure will be implemented in 48 to 60 months.
Monday’s meeting reviewed the progress of data collection for various clusters in different sectors, including health, water, sanitation, housing, roads and education, etc.
The meeting was informed that the number of affected people needing food, shelter and medical facilities was much greater than the initial assessment.
Lt Gen Mohammad Zubair said that within two weeks all roads, both big and small, in AJK and NWFP would be opened for four-wheelers, reducing the cost of airlifting food rations and other relief items to various places.
Technical personnel of Pakistan Army, he said, would be deputed with each cluster to help speed up the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction.
In order to generate economic activities in quake-hit areas, Lt Gen Mohammad Zubair proposed that shopkeepers be provided essential commodities as soft loans. He stressed the need for cleanliness and hygiene to avoid the spread of epidemics.
John Wall, the World Bank’s country director, informed the meeting that the damage assessment report would be placed on the bank’s website and would be accessible to all.
Dr Shah suggested that the report should include an indication of the time frame for each activity, requirement of funds for recovery and reconstruction phase in addition to devising an in-built monitoring system.
The next coordination meeting of lenders and government agencies will be held on Nov 7.
ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Pakistan and international lending agencies have estimated that the ongoing earthquake relief operation in Azad Kashmir and NWFP would be completed in a year but the reconstruction of houses and infrastructure would take four to five years.
