PESHAWAR: The second phase of the payment of compensation for damaged houses in South Waziristan Agency will begin today (Friday).

A total of 4,700 militancy affected families of Mehsud tribe will be paid cash during the phase.

The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Unit of the Civil Secretariat Fata under the federal government-funded Citizen Loss Compensation Programme had paid compensation money to 5,445 of the 5,575 families in the first phase.

An official told Dawn that the steering committee consisting of officials of the relevant departments, army officers and local elders had verified the cases of 4,700 families for compensation and that they would be paid cash assistance.

4,700 militancy-hit families of Mehsud tribe will get payments for damaged houses

He said 40 families would get cash compensation during a ceremony to be held in Chagmali area of South Waziristan today (Friday).

The disproportionate use of force by security forces against militants in tribal areas, especially South Waziristan Agency, had caused widespread damages to houses, commercial properties and other infrastructure.

In addition, weather was another factor that caused severe damage to houses in the last few years.

After the completion of military operations, the government announced the payment of compensation for damaged houses. The RRU is paying Rs400,000 for a fully damaged and Rs160,000 for a partially damaged house in the militancy-hit tribal area to the affected families.

The official said the survey teams had identified around 6,000 damaged houses in third phase in South Waziristan and that owners would be paid compensation once the government released funds.

“The survey of damaged houses in Mehsud area is likely to be completed in five phases,” he said.

The official said the army units had begun immediate reconstruction of drinking water, health and educational facilities in the area.

Payment of compensation in North Waziristan Agency is also in progress.

Around 2,000 houses damaged in the Zarb-i-Azb military operation have been surveyed in North Waziristan.

The authorities had paid compensation to 397 affected families in North Waziristan so far, while the next phase of payment of compensation will start very soon.

The official sources said teams had completed survey of 4,100 damaged houses in Khyber Agency, too.

Another official said delay in the release of funds from the centre had caused delay in payment of compensation to militancy-stricken families.

He said the civil secretariat had asked the federal government to release Rs1.2 billion to be paid to the families in Khyber Agency.

The official said the survey of damaged houses had been completed in different areas of Khyber Agency.

Also, the payment of compensation for damaged houses in Kurram and Orakzai agencies hangs in balance.

The civil secretariat had released Rs193 million and Rs150 million for Orakzai and Kurram agencies, respectively, but its payment has yet to begin.

Officials said the return of IDPs to their homes was going on very fast compared to the payment of compensation to the irritation of returnees.

The government has already announced the return of all IDPs to their homes in Fata by the end of December.

According to the Fata Disaster Management Authority, a total of 245,246 families has gone back to Fata while the rest will be repatriated by the end of the year.

The return of IDPs to Kurram, Orakzai and Khyber agencies is near completion, while that of IDPs to Orakzai Agency is likely to be completed by November 15.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2016