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Allai residents frightened by continuing tremors and underground rumbles

BATTAGRAM: People in Allai were living in a state of fear due to continuous tremors and underground rumbles, Innayatullah Khan, the health minister of the NWFP, said on Tuesday. “After visiting Allai and Bisham, the situation in Allai is the worst and it will aggravate in winter but people are not ready to evacuate to safer places,” Mr Khan said. “We have formed a committee comprised of two ministers to assess the situation,” he said. Mr Khan said that tents will be provided to people who were not ready to leave their ancestral villages. These people were hardworking and could have reconstructed their damaged houses but they were reluctant to start reconstruction work due to continuous tremors. If the government gave compensation to these people they will start work on the reconstruction of their houses, he added. Khan said that after discussion in the cabinet meeting, the provincial government reached the conclusion that different strategies should be formulated to identify points where residential facilities can be provided for the earthquake victims. “I appreciate international and national organisations and volunteers who are busy providing medical facilities to the injured in the quake affected areas,” Khan said. He said that hospitals would be set up in insulated containers or tents. A private party had promised to establish a hospital, which will have 230 beds, he added. Saudi Arabia, the Punjab government and the Aga Khan Foundation have given us the signal to set up similar hospitals in different quake hit areas, he said. Khan said that a coordination meeting of the donor agencies was being held in Abbottabad today (Wednesday) to discuss strategy and funding for restoration of health facilities in the affected areas. ghafar ali

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