ABBOTTABAD, May 5: Deputy Chairman of the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed has said that the authority will complete reconstruction of houses before September so that quake survivors return to their areas before winter.

“At least 2,000 shelters would be provided to the survivors in coming months,” he said while inaugurating water supply schemes in Garhi Habibullah and other earthquake affected areas on Thursday.

Mr Ahmed said that in the first phase roads would be reconstructed and widened to provide the people safe passage to the quake-hit areas. He said reconstruction would commence soon and it would be in accordance with the new building codes set by Erra.

Mr Ahmed was accompanied by in-charge of relief operation NWFP Maj-Gen Shakeel Hussain, Mansehra District Nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousaf and civil and military officials.

COMPENSATION: The second instalment of compensation, amounting Rs75,000 each, has been released to 1,500 survivors for reconstruction of houses, said Colonel Ibrar, in-charge of house compensation section of Erra.

Giving details to journalists here on Friday, he said that Erra had changed its policy to ensure that compensation money reached deserving people.

He said that a data of survivors had been computerized and as a first step verification of affected people was being done by a special team. He said after reaching an agreement with affected people, funds were transferred to their bank accounts.

Under the agreement, all the affected people, save those whose houses were wiped out by land-slides, are bound to reconstruct their houses on their original location. Building plans would be approved by Erra and payments would be made to them in instalments. He said that violation of the agreement would deprive a claimant of further compensation.

Maj Ibrar said females had been exempted from affixing their photos on the agreement form.