August 07, 2006	Monday	Rajab 11, 1427

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ABBOTTABAD, Aug 6: Mansehra District Nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousaf has demanded heavy machinery for clearing the main and link roads in the quake-affected areas where more than 300,000 people are stranded due to disruption of communication links.

Talking to Dawn on phone on Sunday after presiding over a meeting of government departments and donor agencies, Sardar Yousaf demanded special funds from the federal government in addition to deployment of army engineering units so that roads could be cleared.

He said that efforts were being made to save the only bridge of Garhi Habibullah as the Kunhar river was changing its course and the foundation of the bridge was badly damaged. Giving details about the closure of roads, he said that all roads in Kaghan and Siran valleys were closed at different points due to massive landsliding during the past 15 days, which caused problems for relief workers.

He said that the closure of roads might create shortage of foodstuff in those areas.

Sardar Yousaf said that the quake survivors were again hit by a calamity as 150 families were again shifted to tent villages.

The nazim said that the district government with the help of some organisations was shifting people to tent villages. He said that the affected people were being provided food by the district government with the cooperation of some NGOs.