ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: Chief Relief Commissioner Major General Farooq Ahmad Khan has called for early materialization of $6.2 billion aid pledged at the international donors conference. The response of the international community towards the devastating earthquake is praiseworthy, but the pledged amount should be materialized in an early time-frame, he said while talking to a 20-member delegation of the UN Foundation led by Tedd Turner, founder of CNN and chairman UN Foundation, which called on him here on Sunday. Other officials of the Federal Relief Commission were also present on the occasion.

He underlined the need for meeting immediate shelter requirements of the quake survivors.

Gen Farooq informed the delegation that over 106,000 shelters have been constructed in the areas above 5,000 feet. The focus has now been shifted to providing one room shelter below 5,000 feet of altitude.

He said 740,177 tents were provided against the projected demand of 500,000 tents while 4,920,667 blankets and quilts were supplied against the demand of 7,000,000. “Big task ahead is to improve winterization of these tents”, Gen Farooq stressed.

Briefing the visiting delegation on the casualties, he said the disaster has claimed 73,338 lives, besides injuring 128,309 with 69,412 of them sustaining serious injuries.

In all 44 international and 27 domestic field hospitals are operational in affected areas. Similarly 45 international and 31 domestic medical teams are providing medical assistance in the quake hit areas.

The delegation was apprised about the compensation policy. About Rs15.2 billion have so far been distributed among the affected people besides distribution of free of cost corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets for making a single room shelter from the retrieved debris. “This step is enabling the affected people to stand on their own feet and will generate economic activity in the quake stricken areas”, Gen Farooq said.—Reporter