Army engineers build 2618 shelter houses in quake-hit areas

ISLAMABAD—All efforts of the Pakistan Army Engineers employed in quake hit areas are focused now on construction of shelters for locals living in high mountains before on set of severe winters.
According to ISPR, over 14000 troops of Army Engineers are employed in affected areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP who are round the clock busy in maintenance of tracks and roads, construction of water points and assisting locals in construction of shelters.
Army Engineers are assisting locals in construction of their shelters. So far, 2618 shelters have been constructed by Army Engineers in affected areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP while 1043 shelters are under construction.
Some 26086 CGI sheets have so far been received from various sources in affected areas for use in construction of shelters. These sheets have been issued to the locals who are busy in construction of shelters with the help of volunteers and Army Engineers.
A total of 556 volunteers have reached in Azad Kashmir and NWFP to assist locals in reconstruction of their abodes before the on set of severe winter.
In Azad Kashmir 1689 shelters have been constructed mostly for those affected people living above 50,000 feet in the high mountains where winter have already set in and snowfall is about to start.
Similarly 929 shelters have been established in NWFP.
In Bagh city and surrounding areas over 350 shelters were constructed till Sunday. In Neelabut Pakistan Army Engineers assisted 108 families in construction of shelters protecting them from sever cold which is likely in a few days. In Dhir Kot, Berican Barar, Shaheed Gula, Ali Sojal, Dothan Stai areas 200 shelters have been constructed.
All major roads Muzaffarbad-Neelum, Muzaffarbad-Chakoti, Balakot-Kaghan, Rawalpindi-Bagh and Rawalpindi-Rawlakot have already been opened while the work is in progress on secondary roads Paddar-Mohra Sadiq - Chakoti, Bagh-Chattar- Chakoti in Azad Kashmir and road Naran-Dheri and Naran-Josucha and few others roads in NWFP.
All troops of the Army Engineers who are not involved in opening of roads have been split into various groups of ten persons each to help the locals in construction of their homes. These groups have moved on foot in far flung areas along with necessary articles to build shelters.—ISPR