Post-quake relief work yet to start in Lower Dir

TIMERGARA: Relief work in most quake-affected areas of Lower Dir district could not start even after six days of the calamity apparently due to lack of coordination among various government agencies.
Dalgram is the most congested village in tehsil Lal Qilla Maidan where the devastating earthquake has played havoc and more than 50 houses have been damaged but relief work is yet to start there. The house of Aminullah in Dalgram Maidan was completely destroyed in the earthquake and he has to live in a tent along with his family.
Zamin Gul, Khan Zada and Asil Zada, residents of the same village, told The News by phone that their houses were severely damaged by the earthquake. They had submitted applications to the district administration for relief but so far the relief work could not start in their village despite a lapse of a week. They demanded the district administration, Pakistan Army and aide organisations to start relief work in Dalgram village as the affected people were compelled to live in the open amid chilly weather.
Criticising the provincial government after visiting the far-flung Babakray village in Khal tehsilon Sunday, Awami National Party leader Zahid Khan told The News that a total of 36 houses were severely damaged by the earthquake but no relief package had so far been provided to the residents as yet.
Zahid Khan said the claims of provincial government and district administration regarding the provision of relief package to the earthquake victims in Lower Dir were baseless. He added that the affectees including women and children along with their cattle had to live in the open. He said hundreds of houses in villages of Balambat had been completely damaged, including Babakray, Ghwago, Safaray, Bakana, Shahtut, Dhanda, Dogai and Barghwalay and the inmates were compelled to live in the open. H said that if they were immediately not provided with tents, blankets, food and other relief, it could turn into another tragedy.