Flood devastations: MNA disheartened over non-release of funds by KP govt

ISLAMABAD, March 13: MNA Shahzada Iftikharuddin has regretted that despite approval by the chief minister of KPK, the Rs300 million funds have not been released for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected infrastructure in Chitral. In a statement, the MNA said that he had taken up the matter with the PTI chairman and MNA Asad Umer but without success. In his letter to PTI chief Imran Khan, the MNA stated: “Respecetd Khan Saheb, you are well aware of the fact that by virtue of accounting for 20% of KPKs landmass, Chitral happens to be its largest district that’s spread well over 36 branch valleys. The July 2013 flash floods were one of the worst experienced by the district over a 100 years that not only destroyed Rs. 900 million worth of infrastructure but in the process completely destroyed 216 houses besides resulting in crop failures in many parts of the District.” He added that eight months after the floods, there seems no rehabilitation in sight not to mention the start of any meaningful tendering process that would keep hopes alive amongst the flood affected people. People of Junali Kotch are continuously agitating and for the right reasons as they face another round of their ancestral land being washed away not to mention the devastating crop failure as in absence of restoration of water channels many other villagers like them across Chitral are beginning to lose hope. “Since December 2013, I had been intimating all concerned at KPK Govt. including PDMA, Relief & Rehabilitation Dept. besides the Provincial & District Heads of executing agencies i.e. Irrigation, C&W and Public Health. Any further delays would be disastrous since the rising water levels (beginning mid of March) will make rehabilitation work extremely difficult. Rising water levels means works involving diversion of River at Junali Kotch will be simply impossible not to mention the protective walls which will be an uphill task. One is clueless to the sheer apathy shown by the concerned departments as what happened last year was an act of Almighty Allah but what we are moving headlong God forbid can only be termed as “man-made disaster”. You are requested to direct the concerned authorities to take cognizance of the fact and come up with an emergency response as further delays will not be a positive reflection on a progressive party that we all want to succeed not only in the KPK but all over Pakistan.  ]]>