SHANGLA: The residents of scenic Amnovi valley of Alpuri tehsil here have demanded reconstruction of the quake-hit high school building and provision of staff to the basic health unit in the area.

The valley borders Malam Jabba Swat to the west and Yakhtangay to the east, but has been neglected by successive governments despite having been blessed with natural beauty and resources, vast meadows, dense forests and lakes. The area also holds large deposits of emeralds.

Taji Ali Shah, a local activist, said literacy rate was very low due to poverty as most of the local men, and even youngsters, worked in coal mines across the country to earn a living.

“Every now and then we hear about deaths and injuries of our people in coal mine incidents,” he lamented Ajab Khan, a former tehsil council member, said building of the government high school was damaged back in the 2005 earthquake, but it had not been rebuilt. He said the students were forced to study under water-sipping tents, adding the school was also short of teaching staff.

Rehmat Wali, a student, said: “During winter vacation, along with continuing my studies I also work at a hotel in Mingora to earn bread and butter for my family.”

He said due to poverty many of his classmates had quit education, and were either working as daily wagers or had gone to work in coal mines in different cities.

Syed Farin Shah, an elder, said the valley’s basic health unit was facing shortage of staff and equipment. He said in case of emergency, patients were rushed to far off hospitals, and in most cases, patients died on the way.

Elder Shamsuddin said the valley was just three kilometres away from Malam Jabba, but no political leader had paid attention to pavement of the valley road.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2020