PESHAWAR: Members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Friday called for re-assessment of losses from the devastated earthquake of October 26, 2015 in the province to provide relief to the affected people.
The house resumed debate on the joint adjournment motion of Syed Jaffar Shah, Sardar Hussain Babak (AANP) and Bakht Baidar of QWP regarding relief operation in the wake of the devastated earthquake. Participating in the debate, Mohammad Reshad Khan of PML-N said that the earthquake has played havoc in several districts of the province where a large number of people died and hundreds were injured.
He was especially thankful to both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak for their joint visit to the district Shangla.
He said that 80 percent area of district Shangla is comprised of mountainous areas where the earthquake has played havoc with both private and public properties.
He said that the affectees of the inaccessible areas are even lacking tents while their precious house hold items are still under the debris of their houses. He said that instead of roads, the government should dispatch relief goods for the affectees of the district through helicopter.
Maulana Fazal Ghafoor of JUI-F expressed concern over the scarcity of emergency medical services in the hospitals of district Buner and demanded initiating of immediate steps and reassessment of the losses.
Dr. Haider Ali of PTI, however appreciated the speedy response of the provincial government after the earthquake. He said that the hospitals are fully equipped for provision of emergency medical treatment to the affectees.
He called for the capacity building of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and preparation of building code. Besides, re-assessment of losses, he also requested international donor agencies for provision of relief to the affectees.
Similarly, Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha of PPP said that that the loss assessment survey was conducted in haste and a large number of completely and partially damaged houses are not included in it.
He asked the government to adopting clear policy for the rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructure and establishment of PDMA offices at divisional headquarters in the province.
Sardar Zahoor of PML-N for the devolution of the PDMA to district level so it could be enabled to provide timely relief to the affectees of the natural disasters.
Responding to the speeches of the opposition legislators, Provincial Minister for Relief, Shah Farman said that the government has timely responded without exhibiting any negligence.
He said that like relief operation, the government will respond to reconstruction with the same vigour. He thanked all political parties for not politicizing the relief operation. Later, the Speaker, Asad Qaiser adjourned the proceedings of the house 3 pm of Monday.
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