Master plans for rebuilding quake-hit cities ready
By Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf was informed on Thursday that the master plans for rebuilding the earthquake-devastated cities of Muzaffarabad, Balakot and Rawalakot had been finalised.
A meeting, presided over by the president, was told that Chinese construction firms had arrived in Muzaffarabad as terms and conditions had been settled with the Ex-Im Bank of China. Also, Rs425 million had been released for the first phase of the construction of new Balakot city.
Meanwhile, detailed planning for rebuilding Rawalakot was under process.
The meeting was also informed that the government had paid Rs2.02 billion to the 24,635 eligible survivors of the 2005 earthquake which killed at least 73,000 people in Azad Kashmir and northern Pakistan.
The detailed planning for Rawalakot was under way and the concept clearance had been obtained. For new Balakot city, Rs425 million have been disbursed and its development under phase-1 is under way.
A project worth $25 million has been identified for Qaddafi Foundation.
According to an official announcement, President Musharraf directed the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) to accelerate pace of work on the ongoing projects in health, education and infrastructure development in the quake-devastated areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir and the NWFP.
Reviewing the progress made by ERRA in the affected areas, the president directed that pending cases for payment of compensation to the quake victims should be addressed swiftly.
He said the government remains committed to the welfare of the people who went through the traumatic experience in 2005. He said the government would do all to meet its pledge to provide them much better facilities than they had earlier.
In a presentation by ERRA chairman Altaf M. Saleem and deputy chairman Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed, the president was updated about the payment of compensation, the relief and rehabilitation work completed and the projects under way.
Gen Musharraf appreciated the exceptional work done by the authority and directed that the focus should be on sustainability and maintenance of the completed projects.
He also asked AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and the NWFP chief secretary to ensure quality maintenance of the newly-constructed facilities that meet high international standards.
He said the basic objective of the government was not only to restore basic facilities of life for those whose lives were devastated by the earthquake, but also to provide them the best that was available in healthcare, education, communication, clean drinking water and sanitation.
The meeting was informed that for rural housing ERRA had so far made payment of Rs46,533 million through four tranches.
These included the second tranche of Rs39,289 million for 542,566 affected people, third of Rs5,912 million for 236,515 beneficiaries and fourth of Rs1,332 million for 26,659 persons.
Under the medium-term housing, 499 projects were under way, while 1,843 have been handed over to the affected persons.
The meeting was informed that work on 35 provincial and state roads has been initiated at a cost of Rs905 million and 40 per cent work has been completed. Besides, the authority has identified 23 major roads -- 16 in the NWFP and 7 in the AJK for improvement, besides 117 new road projects will be undertaken this year.
Moreover, Rs742 million have been allocated for a project for comprehensive rehabilitation of the disabled, targeted survey of the vulnerable groups is under way, while a legal aid cell has also been established at tehsil level.
