SHANGLA: The families whose houses had collapsed in rain-related incidents in September are forced to live in tents in harsh weather as the government has yet to pay them the promised compensation.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, the members of the affected families said the revenue department had conducted a survey of the houses damaged and destroyed during rains, but no aid was forthcoming as yet.

They said the majority of affected families were poverty stricken as their bread winners worked in coal mines, and were thus unable to rebuild their houses on their own.

Mohammad Zeba, wife of a mineworker in Bela Mian Kallay area, said immediately after her house caved in she started living with a neighbour and then shifted to a tent provided by an organisation along with her three children. She said it was difficult to live in a tent in harsh weather.

“I am worried about my children because living in a tent during snowfall is not possible. I want to rebuild my house before start of heavy snowfall,” she said.

Mohammad Zahir of Banda Mian Kallay said five houses of their family were flattened after a landslide struck in September. However, he said they had no resources to rebuild their houses. He said he and all of his cousins worked in Dara Adamkhel coal mines.

Shangla district disaster management officer Wajid Ali said rains and resultant landslides and floods had damaged over 220 houses, of which owners of 150 houses had been paid compensation.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2020