November 16, 2007	Friday	Ziqa’ad 05, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) board has approved a disaster risk management programme for the earthquake-affected areas.

The project approved at the 7th meeting of the board held here with chairman Erra Altaf Mohammad Saleem encompasses comprehensive hazard assessment and mapping and building the communities’ capacities to respond to any future disaster. It would provide the capacity and skill to train communities in disaster risk management including hazard awareness, basic search and rescue, first-aid, fire-fighting, evacuation and early recovery and reconstruction. A stockpile of tools and equipment would also be provided to ensure immediate relief and response in the event of any disaster.

The total cost of the project is Rs187.687 million that includes Rs38.554 million from the federal government, Rs134.733 million from the World Bank and Rs13.560 million from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) including foreign exchange component of Rs7.560 million.

Talking to Dawn after the meeting, the Erra chairman said the other projects approved by the board included rehabilitation and construction of roads, Muzaffarabad city development, irrigation rehabilitation in Mansehra, capacity building of works and services department NWFP, establishment of project management unit for new Balakot city, rules for implementation of community livelihood rehabilitation plans, establishment of legal aid centres and strengthening of evaluation and monitoring system.

The board approved rehabilitation and widening of Alpuri- Besham section of National Highway at district Shangla, NWFP. The board also approved rehabilitation and reconstruction of 35.5 kilometre long Maira Rehmat Khan-Kukmong-Boi link road in Abbottabad. The cost of the two projects will be met out of the Rs35 billion earmarked under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake-affected areas.

The Rs21.3 billion Muzaffarabad City Development Project (MCDP) is meant to reconstruct and rehabilitate the public infrastructure of the city.

The irrigation rehabilitation project for Mansehra at a cost of Rs428.49 million envisages restoration and rehabilitation of canals and diversion work on 10 civil channels damaged in the quake.

The board also approved a capacity building project for strengthening of monitoring and evaluation wing of Erra.