ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: Chairman Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) Altaf Mohammad Saleem has directed Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) to immediately provide relief to the quake-hit people of Mansehra district and ensure payment of their housing subsidies.

The Chairman had a meeting with the officials of PPAF and SRSP who briefed the chairman about the ongoing projects in quake affected areas.

The chairman set October 2, 2007 deadline for inspection of houses.

According to a press release, he also set October 2 as deadline for payment of instalment to owners whose property has been acquired by Erra for complaint houses and rejected PPAF and SRSP’s request for a six months’ time limit for making payments to the affected people.

PPAF and SRSP officials assured complete and timely compliance with Chairman Erra’s orders.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman Erra Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmad performed groundbreaking of Government Boys Middle school, Dulli, AJK.

He was accompanied by senior officials of the Asian Development Bank including its Country Director, Mr Peter Feldon and ambassadors of European Union, Belgium, Norway and Finlad.

While briefing the delegation, the Deputy Chairman said that the school building was constructed with light steel structure, a press release issued here said.

He said Erra was making better and bigger state of the art structures. All the schools have administration blocks, libraries, and science laboratories, as compared to a couple of rooms buildings in the past. The teams also visited AJK University, Muzaffarabad.

The deputy chairman said that enrolment in schools was going up that will become a vehicle for socio-economic change in the affected areas. He said that Erra along with its partner was providing teachers training to enhance education quality, he added.

The team also visited Basic Health Unit Kathai, ICRC Rehabilitation Centre, and the MGPO’s sponsored Basic Health Unit at Chakhoti, where the Deputy Chairman briefed

the team about the modern health facilities that were being constructed in the affected areas.

He said that seventy seven basic health units (BHUs) had been upgraded to cater to the needs of affected people. The team also visited District Head Quarter Complex Muzaffarabad which is being constructed with the assistance of Turkish Government.

This complex has 25 offices included health, education, district courts, social and welfare departments. Residential quarters are also being built near the complex to facilitate the employees. It will not only smoothen the progress of these departments but residents will also have all facilities available at one place.

The ADB country director on the occasion said that the reconstruction and rehabilitation programme in the earthquake affected areas can be described as the best programme.