2005 Earthquake: Nine years on, one-third projects still pending
Over 100,000 children still do not have a school building.
MUZAFFARABAD:
Despite promises made by successive governments, nine years after the devastating 2005 earthquake hit the northern areas of the country, only 5,200 projects out of 8,000 have been completed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Talking to The Express Tribune in connection with the ninth anniversary of October 8, 2005 earthquake, State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (SERRA) Secretary Sardar Rahim Khan said around Rs170 billion have been spent on reconstruction from the approved Rs210 billion funds while Rs40 billion have not been released so far.
“The donors’ projects have almost been completed in the earthquake-hit areas while the UK, USAID and Canadian government funded projects worth Rs18 billion have been completed and the remaining eight per cent will be completed by the end of this year. “The three countries have fulfilled their commitments with the government of Pakistan by constructing state-of-the-art educational institutions in the area,” Rahim added.
He further stated that authorities immediately needed Rs17 billion to complete the pending and ongoing projects.
In response to a question, the secretary said the 2010 flash floods had also adversely affected the smooth reconstruction process, adding that the international community did not support Pakistan the way they had after the 2005 earthquake.
Rahim said more than 100,000 children still do not have proper schools owing to lags in reconstruction and rehabilitation. “We need immediate funds for these schools,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2014.
Despite promises made by successive governments, nine years after the devastating 2005 earthquake hit the northern areas of the country, only 5,200 projects out of 8,000 have been completed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Talking to The Express Tribune in connection with the ninth anniversary of October 8, 2005 earthquake, State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (SERRA) Secretary Sardar Rahim Khan said around Rs170 billion have been spent on reconstruction from the approved Rs210 billion funds while Rs40 billion have not been released so far.
“The donors’ projects have almost been completed in the earthquake-hit areas while the UK, USAID and Canadian government funded projects worth Rs18 billion have been completed and the remaining eight per cent will be completed by the end of this year. “The three countries have fulfilled their commitments with the government of Pakistan by constructing state-of-the-art educational institutions in the area,” Rahim added.
He further stated that authorities immediately needed Rs17 billion to complete the pending and ongoing projects.
In response to a question, the secretary said the 2010 flash floods had also adversely affected the smooth reconstruction process, adding that the international community did not support Pakistan the way they had after the 2005 earthquake.
Rahim said more than 100,000 children still do not have proper schools owing to lags in reconstruction and rehabilitation. “We need immediate funds for these schools,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2014.