The government in principle has decided to close down Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra), which was established on October 24, 2005, after a devastating earthquake hit Northern parts of the country.
An official communiqué of the Prime Minister Secretariat stated: "The Prime Minister has been pleased to approve in principle winding up of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra). The Prime Minister has also been pleased to constitute the following committee to work out the modalities for winding up Erra: Secretary Cabinet, Secretary Finance, Secretary Planning and Development, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Chief Secretary Azad Kashmir", the summary said.
It further adds, "The committee shall submit its report within one month and secretarial support to the committee to be provided by the Cabinet Division". Sources said that if Erra faces closure then the regular employees who are working on deputation would return back to their home departments, but some 700 contractual employees currently engaged with the authority and its allied departments would lose their jobs. Erra has successfully completed 96 percent development schemes and now only four percent are under way in the earthquake affected areas in Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
"This is unfortunate that the government is going to close down Erra, where I spent 8 years and acquired the training and knowledge to deal with the natural calamites such as earthquakes, which have become a common feature in the country during the last 8 years. Erra has completed about 9,500 projects from 2005 to 2013 and has also constructed 600,000 earthquake resistance houses for which it has won United Nations' SASAKAWA award," an employee of the authority told Business Recorder on the condition of anonymity.
Sources said that there was a question mark on the future of Erra in 2011, because it was established for a period of three years, after completion of three years further extension was given. Former PPP led federal government also proposed to rename Erra as National Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (NRRA) to make it a permanent department which at present is a part of Prime Minister's Secretariat. At that time the government also considered to introduce a bill for extending its scope to work countrywide in case of any natural calamity instead of KPK and AJK.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has lodged First Information Report at Secretariat police station against ex-employees of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) who blocked the Murree road in protest causing great inconvenience to road users, police said on Friday. According to details, around 100-120 former employees of Erra protested on Murree road in favour of their demands and blocked it for road users causing great inconvenience to them. Officials from district administration and police reached the spot and tried to disperse them peacefully.
The protestors chanted slogans against the government and high-ups of Erra besides, damaging government property. The officials of district administration managed to disperse them after hectic efforts. SP (Traffic) Asmat Ullah Junejo has said that ITP is trying its level best to maintain traffic discipline in the city and its officials remained busy in ensuring smooth flow of traffic.