ABBOTTABAD, Oct 31: The government has distributed about Rs45 million among quake-affected families in Battagram district during the last couple of days. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Abdul Aleem Khan said that the administration had paid compensation to deserving families through revenue staff and peoples’ representatives. Besides, he said, relief activities were still under way in the quake-hit areas.

Officials said that the district government had yet to receive tents for shelter less families. He said initially it was planned to evacuate about 100,000 people from Alai tehsil of Battagram district before onset of harsh weather. The plan, however, was dropped after these people refused to leave the area. Now the district administration has demanded 50,000 tents for them.

Meanwhile the district education department has planned to set up five tent-schools. These include four high schools for boys and girls in Balakot and Ghari Habibullah in Mansehra district.

Work on a 100-bed filed-hospital has begun at Balakot while tent-villages have also been set up.

The road from Balakot to Ghanool has been opened for light traffic (Jeep) and efforts are underway by the Army to open it up to Mahndry, while the road from Mahndry to Kaghan is clear.

The residents of Balakot have said that relief activities are being carried out haphazardly and there is no sequence or system of delivery of food items. They have appealed to army and the provincial government to save hundreds of thousands of families from being starved to death.

There is shortage of kerosene oil in Balakot while, due to non availability of LPG cylinders, people are facing great problems in cooking meals.

Electricity could not be restored in most of the areas of Balakot and peoples spend nights outside their camps, burning wood whole night to get warm.