SWAT: The Tallberg Foundation Leadership Award worth $70,000 will be spent on the rehabilitation of the flood-hit Sethi Mills Mohalla in the Swat valley.
Washing away more than a hundred homes and killing many people from the area, Sethi Mills Mohalla was one of the areas worst hit by the floods.
Achim Steiner, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), won the Tallberg Foundation Leadership Award this year, because of his commendable leadership at the IUCN and the World Commission on Dams, which he donated for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood affectees in Khyber-Paktunkhwa through the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).
SRSP, after a thorough survey and through a need based criteria, selected Sethi Mills Mohalla in the Swat valley for the projects. Five different projects focusing on rehabilitation and reconstruction will be carried out in the region to help improve the condition of the locals whose lives were ruined because of the devastation caused by the floods.
Representing the local community at the ceremony, Khalil, an activist from the area said, “The flood devastated our area in front of our eyes, we were helpless and that was a nightmare for all of us as the flood changed the demography of our village.”
“After the flood, we knocked on the doors of the government and NGO’s but it was all in vain, until the SRSP reached out to us and helped us by giving us food and non-food items, our whole area is grateful to SRSP and also Achim Steiner who donated the prize for our area,” Khalil said.
“Today SRSP is very happy to initiate rehabilitation projects as directed by Achim Steiner for this flood affected area in Swat valley and we are sure that these projects will not only bring change in its physical structure but will also help to restore the lives and livelihood of these people,” said Masoodul Mulk, the chief executive of SRSP.
Talking about the projects launched for women Mulk said that Rs800,000 will be spent for projects that will solely focus on the betterment of women.
Addressing the gathering, Wajid Ali Khan said, “we are thankful to Achim Steiner and SRSP who initiated the integrated projects for the flood victims in the Swat valley, without the help of a NGO, the rehabilitation and reconstruction process would not be possible.”
A ground breaking ceremony of the said projects was held on Tuesday which was attended by the local people, elders of the area and SRSP officials. The Minister for Forest and Environment K-P, Wajid Ali Khan, was the chief guest of the ceremony.
Published in The Express Tribune November 3rd, 2010.
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