PESHAWAR, Oct 21: The federal government has directed district coordination officers of the quake-hit districts in the NWFP to form committees at the union council level for distribution of compensation among the affected families.

The committees will comprise public representatives, local government officials and military officers.

The provincial relief commissioner has released about Rs150 million fro distribution as compensation among the victims but the process has been delayed as the committees are yet to be formed.

“We have not given compensation to anyone yet as the federal government has ordered formation of a representative committee for the distribution,” said Mansehra District Coordination Officer Shakil Qadir.

Lists of those who deserved to be compensated had been prepared, officials said.

The compensation would be distributed through crossed cheques, Mr Qadir said.

The office of district nazim had finalized the names of the members for the committees but nominations from army were still awaited, officials said.

They expressed the hope that the committees would begin functioning soon.

The provincial relief commissioner would provide Rs100,000 to heirs of those who lost their lives and Rs25,000 to each injured, the officials said.

It had been estimated that Rs4 billion would be needed to pay compensation to the heirs of 38,000 people who had died, they said, adding, however, that the number of victims was increasing.

Teams of revenue department had been sent to the affected areas to assess the casualties and losses, Mr Qadir said.

“It will take at least one month to ascertain the number of dead and injured as some villages are still inaccessible,” he said.

He said four or five union councils were still in-accessible and efforts were being made to reach there though helicopters.