Govt to build permanent shelters for Khost, Paktika quake survivors

SHARANA (Pajhwok): The government has formed a commission representing several ministries to launch the second round of assistance to the victims of earthquake in southeastern Khost and Paktika provinces, the Ministry of Repatriation and Refugees (MoRR) said on Tuesday.

A survey for building permanent shelters and distribution of other assistance to the victims of the earthquake has been already launched.

Mohammad Arsala Khan Kharoti, finance and administrative assistant at MoRR, who arrived in Paktika to visit quake-hit areas, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the first phase of assistance has been completed and it is time to build permanent shelter for the earthquake survivors and provide them with winter aid packages of food and clothes.

Kharoti added that the government has formed a commission from the representatives of MoRR, interior, public health, economy, agriculture ministries and Natural Disasters Management Authority and National Statistics and Information Authority to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.

He said the commission will not only conduct surveys but will also evaluate geological factors of the quake hit areas from which the residents will be relocated to safe areas to prevent further casualties.

The commission will also conduct another survey of recent floods devastated areas for assistance to the affected families.

The government announces the launch of second round of aid to the earthquake hit families, while the residents complain about unjust distribution of aid packages.

Salim, a resident of Giyan district, told Pajhwok that the first round of aid distribution process had not been transparent and did not reach to the needy people. He asked for more transparency in the second round.

He added: “In the first phase, those entitled did not get the aid, the aid which was distributed on the basis of references”. He called for justice and transparency this time.

But Kharoti assured that the entitled families will get the aid. He said: “our teams are working transparently, we have representatives of other ministries and we will prevent corruption”.

The statistics with the Ministry of Repatriation and Refugees show that 4822 families in Giyan district and 2122 families of Barmal district have been displaced from their homes to other areas.

United Nations Secretary general'sdeputy special representative for Afghanistan RamizAlakbarov said that UN will build 3,000 shelters forKhost and Paktika quake hit families.

AW/nh/ma