Govt rules out mass evacuation from Alai

ISLAMABAD—There was no mass evacuation from Alai by the government side and all those leaving the area were doing so on their own. This was announced in a high level meeting held here at Federal Relief Commission chaired by Maj Gen Farooq late Friday night. The meeting was informed that teams from the Geological Survey of Pakistan had visited the site. These experts found no sign of nay volcanic activity in the Alai area as reported by a section of the press and the people migrating from these areas were doing so own their own and not on the say of the government.
The meeting also discussed relief goods sent by various countries and the meeting was also told that the death toll has risen to 56,000. Chairman Earthquake Rehabilitation Authority, Lt. General Zubair has said the government will prepare ‘fact sheet’ of earthquake disaster within the next eight days to ensure distribution of money among the earthquake affectees. In an interview with BBC Radio, he said “The government agencies and NGOs are working to prepare the ‘fact sheets’ since the disaster has taken place, so that money can be distributed among the earthquake affectees”.
He said military and civil Authorities will jointly certify the facts sheet. To a question he said confirmation of death of any one was the duty of civil administration and they are already doing the job effectively. The Chairman said civil administration was working independently and Army is only ensuring distribution of every thing among real deserving people which has been donated by any donor or purchased by the government or agency. To another question he said compensation worth one lakh is being given to the affected families of each deceased person, while fifty thousand rupees were being given to each injured.
He said government also took decision to give twenty five thousand rupees to each affected family whose houses have either collapsed or was damaged in the earthquake. He said affected families will use the compensation amount for purchase of material for reconstruction of their houses.—APP