House reconstruction to cost Rs50b

NDMA urges govt to speed up efforts for reconstruction.

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimates that Rs50 billion would be needed to reconstruct almost two million flood-damaged houses. The authority has urged the government to speed up efforts for reconstruction.

The authority’s chairman, General (Retd) Nadeem Ahmed, told a press conference at the NDMA secretariat that since the donor community alone could not take responsibility for this phase it was up to the government to accelerate its efforts.

“About Rs20, 000 is given to the families of those affected and an additional Rs80,000 to those who have lost their homes. The cost of reconstruction is close to Rs50 billion and will be divided between the federal and provincial governments,”said Ahmed.

The National Oversight Disaster Management Council (NODMC) formed under the prime minister’s instructions would be responsible for reviewing the plan for reconstruction and would monitor the progress. The house damage assessment team will assess the claims and it is currently premature to say who will conduct the assessment. “The reconstruction of the homes has to be an owner driven policy and we need to modify local techniques to make them flood prone,” added Ahmed.

The chairman further said that, “The situation is relatively under control as the water is receding but we need to focus on rebuilding and this is a critical situation and early recovery is stricter in terms of getting an NOC,” said Ahmed.

However, referring to his visit to the UN where Pakistan presented an update and a needs assessment on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting, he said the meeting was well attended and the foreign ministers of 18 nations addressed the session. He said that all the international dignitaries, including the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon agreed on a one-point agenda, which was to assist Pakistan in the massive early recovery and reconstruction and rehabilitation effort and termed the floods in Pakistan as “an issue of the world”.

Islamabad is further building up the momentum of ensuring appropriate assistance for all sectors and this would be highlighted in the upcoming ministerial level meeting in Brussels in October this year. “The conference is really important as the world is waiting to see the assessment of the damage. The Pakistan Development Forum conference is going to take place in Islamabad in November where the conference for reconstruction will give the donors and opportunity to pledge for Pakistan” added Ahmed.

Ahmed further said that nearly 100,000 ‘Watan’ cards have been distributed and $6.7 million have been disbursed among the victims. The distribution is closely being worked out with the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) and handed over to the provinces for its implementation.

Ahmad clarified that all flood victims would be beneficiaries of the cash card worth Rs20,000, not just those residing in tents. He further said that the process was very clear and simple. There are set patterns for those who already have their identity cards, those that lost them during the floods and those who never had any.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2010.