Govt, AKAH’s apathy towards flood-hit village of Brep protested
Akbar A. Khan
BREP (UPPER CHITRAL): A large number of people gathered in Brep to convey their resentment and disappointment over the apathy of the government departments and AKDN towards protection of the flood-devastated village of Brep from total annihilation.
Since 2007 glacial lake outburst floods (GOLFs) in one of the two streams have washed away at least 60 percent of the village, rendering hundreds of families homeless.
Last year, the floods again hit the village obliterating more houses and land. Most of the displaced families live with their relatives while others have no other option but to stay in squalid tents in the flooded areas.
Moreover, the floods filled debris on the pathway of the stream, endangering the remaining parts of the village, especially on the right side of the nullah.
The areas in the village so far safe from the flooding are now vulnerable to it. These areas include houses, markets as well as the basic health unit (BHU), newly-built Jamat Khana, one mosque, a godown and three government schools, local people told Chitral Today.
The public gathering today was held to express resentment and convey warning to the government departments and the AKDN, especially the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), to take safety steps such as dredging of the nullah before June to protect the unaffected parts of Brep from floods.
The participants said that soon after the floods last year, AKAH officials visited Brep and promised to dredge the nullah on the condition that the locals would dispose of all their goats and sheep.
They said razing goats in the mountains was the main cause of flooding and without stopping this practice other precautions would be an exercise in futility.
On their suggestion, the local people sold off their goats at throwaway rates but the AKAH officials never visited the village again even after repeated appeals.
They said former chief minister Mehmood Khan had also visited Brep soon after the floods and witnessed the devastation. He had promised to release funds for rehabilitation of the affected people and cleaning the flood debris from the nullahs.
The provincial government did not keep its words and later the assembly was dissolved.
The participants warned that if timely steps were not taken, they would be compelled to launch a protest during which the Chitral-Yarkhun road would be blocked besides holding a rally towards the district headquarters of Booni.