Snowfall compounds Swat’s misery

Survivors migrate to settled areas as intense cold weather worsens living conditions.

SWAT: Flood survivors of Utror, Kalam, Mankyal and Bahrain have started leaving their homes and moving towards settled parts of the country due to heavy snowfall and lack of basic needs.

There are no roads, bridges, water supply schemes, telephones or means for electricity in upper Swat where people live without even the bare essentials.

Fazal Subhan, president of Al-Khidmat Foundation in the upper Swat said, “The flood-stricken people of the upper Swat were completely ignored by the government authorities who have not restored basic facilities like clean water, communications, electricity and bridges. The army has constructed a temporary road from Madyan to Kalam but it is very dangerous. A number of accidents have occurred already.”

“Just living there in normal weather conditions was very difficult in the aftermath of the flood,” Subhan said, referring to the hardships faced by the people of upper Swat. “But now, in the midst of heavy snowfall, it will become impossible to live there.”

Snow will cut off the area completely from the rest of the country for five months, according to him.  That is why thousands of people are migrating towards Mingora.

Farman Ali, Ameer of Jamat-e-Islami, Kalam, explained that poverty prevents many people from migrating to the settled areas. “More than half of the people will stay back.  In this case, the government should provide food and other basic necessities while the area is cut off. Facilities should be provided to those who are migrating and schools should be arranged for the children,” he said.

Talking about the losses of the upper Swat, Union Council Nazim, Kalam, Habibullah Saqib said, “According to our survey, the flood washed away up to 1,620 houses, 90 hotels, 1,000 shops, 36 government schools, 19 private schools, 40 mosques, 26 water-mills, 36 micro hydel power stations, 34 bridges and a 65-kilometre road. It also left 25 people dead.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2010.