The NWFP government has decided to immediately establish a relief camp for internally displaced persons of Swat district at Risalpur and finalised arrangements for accommodation and other related facilities in this camp.
A meeting, held at the NWFP home department on Wednesday, selected a site known as Benazir Camp for the purpose with qa capacity about 300 tents and being located in a secure and suitable place. It entrusted the task of provision of different utilities and facilities to the respective departments and organisations, including UNHCR, Wapda, and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society.
The WFP will also be engaged in the activity to ensure smooth supply of food items to the inmates of the camp. A registration office will also be opened in Malakand, where the displaced people will be initially registered before shifting them to the camp.
The decision to establish relief camps and tentage villages for the people of Swat and Shangla districts, was taken on Tuesday in a high-level meeting, chaired by NWFP Governor Lieutenant General Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai (retd) at the Governor House .
The meeting took stock of the situation in both the districts and discussed other relief measures for the displaced people. It was decided that four tentage villages would be immediately established at Bari Kot, Dargai, Bisham, and Mardan areas.
These camps, under the supervision of the home department in collaboration with PRCS would be having all the required facilities and would be fully equipped to facilitate the displaced persons in all respect. Help and assistance would also be obtained from the UNHCR and Commissioner Afghan Refugees to run the camps more efficiently. A central monitoring office will be opened at the home department in Peshawar to monitor the relief activities.
The governor, during the meeting, had directed for establishing these camps on emergency basis and instructed the officials to make all the arrangements for food and medication by posting the required medical staff and ensuring provision of medicines, etc.
While stressing immediate identification of suitable sites for these camps, the governor had said that camps should be located in the places, where water is available in plenty. He directed that the government buildings other than educational and health institutions should also be kept standby to accommodate the people and where necessary private buildings could also be hired for the purpose.