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| February 12, 2006 | Sunday | Muharram 13, 1427 |
Master plan of Muzaffarabad to be devised this month: Rehabilitation process
ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: Master planning of Muzaffarabad city will start from mid of the current month. This was decided when Assistant Project Manager of Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) Hidekazu Tanemura along with officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) called on Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) Chairman Lt-Gen Mohammad Zubair here on Saturday.
The master planning will be jointly carried out by Jica, JICS and Nespak.
The Erra chairman asked the agencies concerned to initiate the planning process as early as possible so that task of reconstruction and rehabilitation could be started in an expeditious way.
It was decided that in this regard the first meeting of the steering committee on rehabilitation and reconstruction would be held on February 17, 2006.
The meeting to be presided over by the Erra chairman will be attended by the AJK chief secretary and authorities of Jica, JICS and Nespak besides other high government officials. It will discuss ways to remove bottlenecks involved in the process.
During the meeting the issue of reconstruction and rehabilitation of Batgram also came under discussion. The visiting team apprised the Erra chairman that preparations to start the reconstruction work in the city had been finalized.
It is worth mentioning here that the Japanese authorities had signed an agreement to reconstruct Batgram city and in this regard work will start next month. JICS will be the implementing agency for reconstruction work.
Lt-Gen Zubair thanked the visiting team and expressed optimism about rebuilding the devastated cities in a better way. “With the help of our friends we will change the calamity into an opportunity and new avenues of development and prosperity will be opened for the people of the area,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Dr Saeed Akhtar and Dr Sobia Hafeez of Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) called on the Erra chairman.
During the meeting, matters pertaining to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake-affected areas came under discussion. The visiting doctors of APPNA apprised Lt-Gen Zubair of their organization and its plans to adopt Kathai village in Azad Kashmir.
They presented their plans to reconstruct two schools, one basic heath unit and rehabilitation of natural water channel blocked due to landslides.
They will also offer support in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Ashiana (SOS Village) at Muzaffarabad. They are helping authorities for provision of artificial limbs and for treatment of spinal injuries.
APPNA organization is also working with Rawalpindi General Hospital to establish special medical care unit to treat and rehabilitate the affected people.
Lt-Gen Zubair thanked the visiting doctors and appreciated the efforts of APPNA organization and their future plans. He thanked them for their acts of kindness and assured them that they would be provided every assistance and cooperation in achieving their set goals.
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