PESHAWAR, April 13: The NWFP government due to lack of funds failed to pay compensation to thousands of people who suffered losses due to heavy rains during the last monsoon, according to official sources.

The provincial government was supposed to pay Rs90m to thousands of families who lost their houses during the monsoon season due to torrential rains and flash floods in 11 districts chiefly in the Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Dir districts.

A total of 23 people were killed and 17 injured as a result of torrential rains and floods caused by the overflowing of canals and water courses during August and September, last year.

Sources said that due to non-availability of funds the provincial government had not been able to pay compensation in total.

“Only those who suffered casualties are being paid compensation money, leaving the remaining affected people unattended as far as their claims for payment of compensation money are concerned,” said the sources.

Against an amount of Rs90m required to pay compensation to all those affected during the last monsoon, the provincial government, said the sources, had paid only Rs13.7m in compensation to the aggrieved families who lost bread-earners.

In accordance with the rates of compensation determined in 1997, family of “breadwinner” — expired due to floods — was supposed to be paid Rs50,000. Whereas, Rs30,000 was required to be paid to the family which lost a non-breadwinner.

Out of the Rs13.7m distributed among the aggrieved families, a sum of Rs10m had been raised by the last NWFP government and an amount of Rs5m was contributed for the purpose by the provincial governor.

Initially, the last provincial government had earmarked Rs200,000 for flood relief activities during the 2002-03 financial year.

Sources said that during the last days of the last military government in the province the provincial governor had moved a case for the release of more funds to meet the expenditure requirements on account of payment of funds in compensation to all those who suffered losses during the last monsoon.

The matter was later referred to the chief minister Akram Khan Durrani. “But none of the two paid attention for the additional funds,” said the sources.

Some other officers of a concerned department said that the finance department refused to provide more funds on the pretext of non-availability of funds at its end.

The issue was also taken up with the emergency relief cell established in the cabinet division, Islamabad. “ Even they did not respond to the request making the provincial authorities concerned to shelve the matter,” said the sources.

In addition to the Rs90m estimated to be paid to those who suffered during the last monsoon, said the sources, the recent spree of heavy rains also caused considerable losses to the private property necessitating the provincial authorities concerned to mobilize Rs6m to pay as compensation to the affected families.

Against the Rs6m funds required, the provincial finance department recently released Rs3m. This apparently means that several of the affected individuals and families would not get the compensation funds — their right under the West Pakistan National Calamity Prevention and Relief Act, 1958.