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| November 10, 2005 | Thursday | Shawwal 7, 1426 |
Families at relief centre reluctant to go home
PESHAWAR, Nov 9: Families from quake-hit areas residing in a relief centre, a makeshift accommodation facility at Hayatabad, are reluctant to return to their home-towns as they want to settle down in cities.
Several families who were provided accommodation and other facilities in a spacious building at Hayatabad said they would not return on any condition to their villages which were completely destroyed by the quake.
Arshada Bibi was shifted along with nine other family members from a tent in Balakot to the welfare home some 15 days ago. Her two sons were severely injured while they were attending classes in a school when the quake struck and her own arm was fractured.
“We could not live in a tent in severe cold weather so we shifted here. Here we have all the basic facilities. We informed our other relatives about it, so they also moved here,” said Arshada.
She said that her husband stayed back in Balakot so as to receive the compensation money, and added, “But we have no intention of returning to Balakot as we want to start life anew here.”
Rubina, 35, from Garlaat village in Balakot said that she lost two of her children Rameen, 10, and Maimoona, 8, in the quake. She said that Rameen’s body was recovered from the debris of his school but Maimoona’s body was never recovered from the debris of her school.
She said: “We have lost everything, our house, our shop, and we can not live a decent life with the meagre compensation money which has not been provided to us so far.”
Rubina and some other women hailing from quake-hit areas, including Balakot, Batagram, Buffa, Allai and Batal, said that they would never return to these areas.
“Everything is ruined there and we are afraid to go back there. We can not think of going back there now to live under those terrible conditions,” Rubina said.
Nageena, wife of Niazur Rehman, who was disabled due to the quake and admitted at the Combined Military Hospital at Lahore, expressed fear of ever returning to Balakot.
“I live in fear even now as I suddenly wake up at night and feel the earth moving under my feet. Our hearts are still filled with fear,” said Nageena.
She said that she would never return to Balakot as she wanted to start life anew with her four children and her husband in any other city but Balakot.
Ms Rubina Riaz, the in charge of the centre, said that there was a capacity for accommodating 400 patients. “There are some 223 patients, including male, female and children, which the Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Combined Military Hospital have referred to us. There are some 51 injured people who are waiting here for their compensation.”
She said: “We expect more quake survivors here as the winter season has started and they can not return to their home towns after getting discharged from hospitals.”
She said: “However, some families are staying here unnecessarily. Besides, they are also asking their relatives to move here as well. The admission criteria to the centre are not being followed by quake survivors.”
“Everyone was using all means to move all family members here,” Ms Rubina said.
Ms Salma Nasirullah, shift in charge at the centre, said: “A man, a permanent resident of Notia who had been injured during his visit to Balakot, is residing here with his family but we have extended our services even to him because we do not want to turn away anyone in need.”
GOVERNOR’S APPEAL: NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman has appealed to the public as well as to philanthropists to be more generous in extending help to quake survivors.
The governor, who was on a visit to the relief centre, stressed the need of taking concrete initiatives not only for the permanent rehabilitation of injured people but also for further improvement of living conditions at the centre. Some 223 people are lodged at the centre amongst which the majority is of injured children.
He inspected the school at the centre and inquired about educational facilities being provided to the children.
The governor was highly impressed by the courage of the injured children. He especially congratulated a child who remained under the debris for almost 18 hours and was severely injured. He has recovered now after being provided the necessary treatment.
The governor welcomed all volunteers working in the centre, particularly those who came from abroad, to help quake survivors and described their services as being of tremendous importance. He particularly mentioned the services being rendered by psychiatrists, physicians and teachers.
He assured to take necessary measures to ensure the availability of text books as well as furniture in the school.
The governor said that immediate steps be taken for proper renovation and improvement of the building.
SURVEY REPORT: Vice-Chancellor of NWFP University of Engineering and Technology Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani informed NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman at the Governor’s House here on Tuesday that the team of experts at the University had completed their survey of earthquake-affected areas of the province, said a handout issued here on Tuesday.
The report of the team is being prepared which would prove of great help in the rehabilitation and reconstruction process, Mr Gilani said.
The governor, who is also chancellor of the university, said that a copy of the report should also be provided to the federal government well in advance of the international conference, which will be held at Islamabad in the third week of the current month.
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