PESHAWAR - The Fata Disaster Management Authority has so far managed to repatriate 145,338 families to their permanent dwellings out of a total 298,715 families, displaced due to militancy and sectarian crises in FATA.
The whole process cost Rs 7391.260 million including onetime cash grant of Rs 25000 per family and Rs 15000 for provision of six months ration to each family. The repatriated families belonged to Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, Kurram and South Waziristan Agencies.
This was revealed during a presentation to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Governor, Barrister Masood Kausar on FATA Disaster Management Authority at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House Islamabad. The Additional Chief Secretary FATA Fazal Karim Khattak and Director General FDMA Arshad Khan attended the briefing, which covered in detail the mandate, performance and achievements of FDMA besides information on its establishment, rudimentary functions and emergency operations. Relief activities and return strategy for FATA IDPs were also spelled out with the existing measures and rehabilitation and integration plans.
The governor was informed that 298,715 displaced families, who moved out from their permanent abodes in different agencies and on different occasions were got registered till the end of year 2011 and settled in Jalozai, Togh Serai, Benazir, Nahaqi, Danish cool and New Durrani camps. Nahaqi and Danish cool camps have since been closed after their inmates moved back to their homes successfully whereas IDPs still lodged in the remaining camps are being provided adequate relief. As regard payment of compensation for the damaged properties of IDPs, the Governor was told that Rs 1054 million has been distributed among 8618 beneficiaries of Bajaur Agency so far as against total estimated compensation of Rs 2564.320 million. 5518 returnee families have also been provided shelters in Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai and South Waziristan Agencies.
Talking about other relief operations carried out by the Authority, the DG Arshad Khan said that FDMA also came to the rescue of flood affectees during floods 2010 and provided relief to the people in Khyber Mohmand, South Waziristan, FR DIKhan, FR Peshawar, FR Kohat and FR Tank including Tents, Non-food items, Food packages, Hygiene kits and blankets. Rs 32.200 million cash compensation was also paid to the legal heirs of 91 deceased and 89 injured during floods.
He said that FDMA was established after the extension of National Disaster Management Order to FATA in 2008 and initiated its rudimentary functions in mid 2010 by successfully coordinating response to the flood 2010.
The FDMA, he said was working on modern lines to meet any situation in the wake of natural and incidental calamities and conflicts. The Authority has also established Early Recovery Mechanism for FATA to lay the foundations for longer-term development in FATA by catalyzing sustainable development opportunities for the returnee and stayee communities. The key sector identified in this regards included Agriculture, Food assistance, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Education, Community Restoration, Infrastructure and Protection. The transitional recovery process will initially cover four key agencies including Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai and South Waziristan. An Early Recovery Framework for quick rehabilitation of IDPs has been constituted with an estimated cost of $ 200 million for which a fund raising Donor’s conference is going to be convened during next month. FDMA works through its Emergency Response Cells, established at FDMA HQs and at Agency level besides having an effective monitoring mechanism and data compilation and online NOC Tracking systems.
Governor Masood Kausar appreciated the overall performance of FDMA. However he stressed the need for making sufficient and adequate arrangements for IDPs at Jalozai and other camps to ensure their proper look after and well-being. “We must take care of these displaced people not only for the reason that they are in trouble but also for the fact that they have put their comfort and rest at stake for the national cause, peace and stability as well as honour of the country”, the governor said.