PESHAWAR, Feb 1: Expressing grave concern over the discontinuation of food supplies to the flood affected people of remote Kalam valley of Swat district, the leaders of a local peace committee demanded of the World Food Programme to resume the process.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday the residents of Kalam led by former UC nazim Utror Malik Iqbal Zada said that many people had migrated from the area due to food shortage.

The Mingora-Kalam Road, he said had been washed away by the flash floods and now the security forces had constructed a single track where only one light vehicle could pass at a time while the routine transportation services could not be resumed to the areas.

He said that the people who had migrated from their villages to safer places were facing worst financial problems.

The WFP, he said had halted its operation in the areas without specifying any certain reason. He added that the non-governmental and international aid organisations had given least attention to the area.

Mr Iqbal said the area had already been hit hard by militancy where the people had been facing many problems and the government was paying no heed to their woes.

The worst affected areas were mountainous Uthror, Gajur Gabral, and adjacent localities, which had been cut off from other areas.

The standing crops and vegetables on millions of acres of land had been ruined due to the floods and the farmers were unable to reconstruct the agriculture fields.

He said that the people of the area with assistance of the army had constructed a 50km long dirt road from Gujar Gabral to Maidan, but it was not wide enough to accommodate two-way and heavy traffic.

The transports, he said were getting Rs500 instead of Rs150 from a single passenger while going from Mingora to Kalam as the road was in pathetic condition.

He also pointed out that the transporters were charging Rs400 for 50kg weight from Mingora to Kalam area.

Due to the closure of roads, he said the growers were unable to bear the transportation charges of agriculture produce to the markets in different cities, especially to Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. He called for rebuilding of roads and resumption of WFP food operation in the areas immediately.