SHANGLA: One year has passed since the heavy rains caused havoc in the Shangla district, but no effort has been made to rebuild the battered infrastructure, particularly roads and water supply schemes.
Nineteen people were killed and dozens were injured, while hundreds of houses were damaged in the tragedy which struck the district in early April.
In Karora area, a huge landslide buried four houses, vehicles and shops, but the affected people have yet to receive any compensation.
The landslide badly damaged the Swat-Bisham and Karora-Chakesar roads, but no repair has been carried out on the main arteries.
Nazir Ahmed, a local, told Dawn that despite passage of one year the Swat-Bisham and Chakesar roads had not been repaired, which caused severe problems to the passengers during rains.
He said special assistant to chief minister Abdul Munim had made commitments with the people, but he too failed to keep his word.
Mr Ahmed said the victims of the landslide planned a protest demonstration in next few days to press the government to accept their demands.
PTI local leader Engr Abdul Tawab Khan claimed the provincial government had given Rs530 million for rehabilitation of the infrastructure, but the PML-N lawmakers and district government had obtained stay order over the utilisation of funds. He said obtaining stay over development funds was injustice with Shangla people.
He said owing to the non-repair of damaged roads and battered water supply schemes the people were facing difficulties.
Haider Ali, a resident of Ranyal area, told Dawn that a wooden bridge on a river had collapsed due to heavy rains, because of which the locals were facing problems.
He asked the government to expedite work on the construction of the bridge.
When contacted, deputy commissioner Abdul Kabir Khan said the district administration was unable to utilise the Rs530 million funds approved by the provincial government owing to stay order obtained by the PML-N leaders.
However, he said the Peshawar High Court had vacated the stay, but the PML-N had approached the Supreme Court, which maintained the status quo.
Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2017