Government starts distributing compensation to quake victims

23 Oct, 2005

The NWFP government has constituted teams to verify the number of deaths and injured for compensation whereas it has started distributing the compensation in Abbottabad district while in Mansehra it is yet to be started.
The teams, comprising representatives from military, revenue and police departments, and local representatives will visit each and every village and house affected in the October 8 deadly earthquake for the purpose.
Briefing the newsmen here at Crisis Management Cell, the information minister Asif Iqbal Daudzai said the survey would be completed within two or three days.
Flanked by provincial minister for Social Welfare Hafiz Hashmat Khan, he said the concerned officials would be engaged in distribution of compensation to the affected people, for which, the funds have already been released to District Co-ordination Officers (DCOs).
He said compensation was being distributed in Abbottabad district while in Mansehra it was yet to be started. "The heirs of all died people and those injured would be compensated," he reiterated.
The government had announced Rs 100,000 for each death to the heirs and Rs 25,000 for each injured as compensation to the quake victims. The NWFP government has so far distributed Rs 215.4 million as compensation among the victims. Regarding the death toll, he said the present figures of casualties are just estimates as the real toll might be higher.
He said 20 areas had been identified in Garhi Habibullah, Shinkiari, Battagram and Balakot for establishment of tent villages where 7,930 tents had been given to provide shelter to the affected people.
NWFP Minister for Social Welfare Hafiz Hashmat Khan said government had set up four rehabilitation centres where six months transitory residential would be provided to the affected families.
For families and male persons, arrangements had been made in the Provincial Institute of Training of Educationist (PITE) at Larma Peshawar with intake capacity of 300 to 350 persons. They would be provided residence, food & medical cover, clothing, recreation, transport, pocket money @ Rs 500 per person per month.
For women and children, an abandoned building in Hayatabad has been occupied where residential facilities for 500 persons had been arranged.
Hafiz Hashmat Khan said federal government had given Rs 30 million from Zakat fund, which had been distributed, among the victims of Kohistan, Shangla and Battagram. Similarly, he said under the natural calamity head, government had received rupees 200 million, which would also be spent on rehabilitation of victims.

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