Flood victims resent measly cash payouts

Many claim that the amounts allocated are insignificant given the rate of inflation

LAHORE:

While the government posits its flood relief campaign as being conducive to providing aid to the affected families, many victims claim that the amounts allocated are insignificant given the rate of inflation and the scale of devastation.

Following last year’s floods in South Punjab, which wrecked the housing, livestock and crops of millions across areas like Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Mianwali, the government had announced the initiation of a relief package for flood victims, which would provide monetary compensation to alleviate some of their suffering.

The amount of money included in the packages, however, has been deeply criticized by victims and welfare organizations alike, who resent the relief amount for being too scanty.

“Only Rs200,000 is being given as compensation for a damaged house. With the current level of inflation, one cannot even build a washroom in such a meagre amount, let alone a house,” lambasted Saleem Iqbal, a social worker.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, the government had announced similar monetary relief packages for other damages that the flood affected families incurred, including Rs400,000 compensation for a completely devastated house, Rs75,000 for the loss of large livestock and Rs5,000 for the loss of a small one.

Similarly, monetary compensation was also offered to individuals who had suffered physical trauma or had lost the lives of their kin. While a relief check of Rs100,000 and Rs400,000 was presented to those who were disabled or injured, Rs1000,000 was dispensed to those who had lost a loved one.

While on the outside such efforts might appear instrumental in rebuilding the lives of the affected, they nonetheless hold little value in the eyes of the multitudes, whose relief needs exceed the level of assistance being offered.

One such victim is Shah Nawaz, a resident of Rajanpur, who alongside losing his home and livestock also had his crops, which were a major source of his livelihood, submerged underwater. “The monetary relief that the government has announced would not be enough for us to restart our lives,” resented Nawaz, who had yet to receive the relief money.

While the victims call out the government for the inadequacy of its relief efforts, state officials claim that the unprecedented scale of damage meant that relief programs would take time to culminate.

“Almost Rs410 million alone have been spent trying to access flooded areas and determining their scale of damage,” confirmed a source.

Indeed, according to data gathered by the Punjab government, a total of 55,452 houses and 430,000 acres of crops were damaged by the floods. Whereas 81 people had died, 55 were injured, two were disabled and 652 animals had been lost.

When questioned about the appeal from victims for further relief, a spokesperson for PDMA Punjab said, “We have spent around Rs12 billion to provide relief to 51,000 victims. Further funds have been allocated to assist 4,000 more victims.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2023.