June 17, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 20, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 16: An elaborate plan to relocate 18 villages in the quake zone facing the threat of landslides has been finalised. According to a latest report of the United Nations, the residents of these villages will be relocated by the first week of July. The internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be relocated preferably to the consolidated camps near their native places. The existing 40 consolidated camps have enough capacity to accommodate 12,500 persons while the estimated figure of the affected people is currently between 10,000 and 15,000.

According to the report, 85 per cent of the families in the IDP camps have returned to their places of origin. The total vulnerable residual caseload, mainly landless, is 3,753 families comprising 19,238 individuals. The total number of residual camps is 40 that will later be consolidated into 37.

Registration and Returns Barrier Survey, funded by OCHA and carried out by IOM, is expected to be completed by the end of June.

The security situation remained calm in the earthquake- affected areas except for an incident in Muzaffarabad. On June 9, UNDP team of nationals was attacked in Chattar Klas by a local mob and the driver was injured. In response to the incident and given the location on the highway between Islamabad and Muzaffarabad, UN staff is advised not to stop while travelling.

According to the report, water and sanitation is a major concern in the camps in Muzaffarabad. A technical assessment is underway to determine the options for sustainable water supply and sanitation facilities in the camps. The tankering water will be stopped by the first week of July 2006.

Unicef is going to launch an extensive hygiene promotion plan for 1,058 schools in Muzaffarabad focusing on child-to-child approach and community-based approach. The Working Group on Health has finalised the Cholera Preparedness Plan for Muzaffarabad. WHO, MSF and Merlin are conducting rapid assessment of health facilities in the camps.

The WHO has finalised 99 per cent of 35 planned prefabricated basic health units (BHUs) in the earthquake- affected districts, of which 95 per cent (32) have officially been handed over to the local authorities. Almost 80 per cent of the BHUs are functional.

The Working Group on Education is in the process of preparing plan to provide education facilities to the relocated children. Preference will be given to admit the children in government schools nearby their camps. If not, alternative schools will be re-established in the camps.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has completed food distribution of 239 MT (one month ration, 55.8 kg/household) to 4,277 families in Muzaffarabad camps. In Mansehra, the Protection Network has developed a discussion paper in order to assist the district coordination officer (DCO). The paper highlights the concerns regarding conditions in the residual camps, key obstacles to durable solution.