ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: The pace of reconstruction activity in Balakot is slow while there is confusion over demarcation of ‘red zones’ while business activity has also not been fully revived because of hindrances created by the Erra.
Uncertainty persisted about the town’s future because the government has not yet started restoring services like schools, hospital and courts.
A hospital built by a local philanthropist is still without proper staff while shelter schools are understaffed.
The civil court has not been restored despite the directives of the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court.
During a recent visit to the area, it was learnt that almost half of the 5,000 fabricated shelters donated by the government of Saudi Arabia have been built but no contracting firm provided facilities in accordance with the contract awarded by the Saudi embassy.
Erra’s local representative Maj Parvaiz Shah told Dawn that around 2,000 shelters had been completed while 1,000 were still being built.
There were about 2,000 shops in the main bazaar before earthquake, marked by Erra officials for compensation when army teams surveyed the area to determine the extent of earthquake damage. However, the shopkeepers were still awaiting compensation.
