2005 earthquake: A tale of unfulfilled promises
Provincial govt used less than 10% of the Rs8b funds for rehabilitation
People walk past the rubble of a house damaged by earthquake in the village of Aryankoat near Dir Bala. PHOTO: REUTERS
ABBOTTABAD:
More than a decade after the 2005 earthquake brought death and destruction, survivors of the calamity still await rehabilitation promises to be fulfilled by the government.
Over 600,000 families were affected in the earthquake. An estimated 87,000 people were killed and as many severely injured. About 600,000 houses, 6,000 schools and 800 health facilities were affected.
The government later made promises of rehabilitation and support. Elaborate plans and policies were drawn up. Dedicated institutions were set up to expedite their implementation. Donor commitment of $6 billion was secured. But all to no avail.
No lessons learnt after 40th quake
According to data collected by January 2017 by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) – a dedicated institution established in 2005 for fast-tracking rehabilitation – shows that nearly half of the total 5,723 schools are yet to be rebuilt.
Responding to the public frustration at the slow pace of rehabilitation, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government announced its decision to reconstruct 760 schools destroyed in the province.
A total of Rs3.7 billion was initially allocated, which was later increased to Rs8 billion in the 2014-15 budget. Till 2016-17, the total reported expenditure against the allocated budget line was Rs765.31 million.
In other words, in three years, the provincial government was only able to use less than 10% of the total funds of Rs8 billion.
Aftermath: What if a killer earthquake were to strike Karachi
A further Rs330 million has been allocated for the rehabilitation in the current fiscal year budget.
At its current pace, it will take another 20 years for the government to simply allocate funds.
“Governments from 2005 must be held to account for failing those who survived the unspeakable horrors which unfolded on the morning of October 8, 2005,” says Rashida Dohad, the Executive Director of the Omar Asghar Khan Foundation.
She has demanded a thorough and transparent audit of the rehabilitation funds, saying that people, especially those whose lives were affected by the calamity, must be given reasons for the government’s failure to keep its rehabilitation promises.
More than a decade after the 2005 earthquake brought death and destruction, survivors of the calamity still await rehabilitation promises to be fulfilled by the government.
Over 600,000 families were affected in the earthquake. An estimated 87,000 people were killed and as many severely injured. About 600,000 houses, 6,000 schools and 800 health facilities were affected.
The government later made promises of rehabilitation and support. Elaborate plans and policies were drawn up. Dedicated institutions were set up to expedite their implementation. Donor commitment of $6 billion was secured. But all to no avail.
No lessons learnt after 40th quake
According to data collected by January 2017 by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) – a dedicated institution established in 2005 for fast-tracking rehabilitation – shows that nearly half of the total 5,723 schools are yet to be rebuilt.
Responding to the public frustration at the slow pace of rehabilitation, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government announced its decision to reconstruct 760 schools destroyed in the province.
A total of Rs3.7 billion was initially allocated, which was later increased to Rs8 billion in the 2014-15 budget. Till 2016-17, the total reported expenditure against the allocated budget line was Rs765.31 million.
In other words, in three years, the provincial government was only able to use less than 10% of the total funds of Rs8 billion.
Aftermath: What if a killer earthquake were to strike Karachi
A further Rs330 million has been allocated for the rehabilitation in the current fiscal year budget.
At its current pace, it will take another 20 years for the government to simply allocate funds.
“Governments from 2005 must be held to account for failing those who survived the unspeakable horrors which unfolded on the morning of October 8, 2005,” says Rashida Dohad, the Executive Director of the Omar Asghar Khan Foundation.
She has demanded a thorough and transparent audit of the rehabilitation funds, saying that people, especially those whose lives were affected by the calamity, must be given reasons for the government’s failure to keep its rehabilitation promises.