MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Secretary State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (SERA), Azad Kashmir Khalid Mahmood Mirza has said that the total volume of the current reconstruction program is RS225 billion against the financial losses of Rs125 billion in the earthquake-affected districts in 2005.
He said Rs181 billion have been spent so far, while approximately Rs44 billion more are required for the completion of the reconstruction program.
Speaking to media representatives on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the devastating earthquake, Secretary SERA said that 19 years ago, on October 8, 2005, a devastating earthquake of 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale affected 56% of the population of Azad Kashmir.
SERA was responsible for rebuilding infrastructure, schools, and other facilities in the earthquake-affected areas of AJK.
In this tragedy, more than 46,000 people lost their lives and 33,000 injured in Azad Kashmir, and more than 300,000 private properties were affected, while health, education, water supply and sanitation, and communication facilities on 53% of the region’s area were completely destroyed.
The total estimated loss from this earthquake at that time was approximately Rs125 billion (which included Rs61 billion in the private sector and Rs64 billion for the government offices and public facilities sector).
Secretary SERA informed the media that out of 7608 projects, 5878 projects have been completed and handed over to the concerned departments.
Modern international standard facilities in the education and health sectors have been constructed with the cooperation of brotherly Islamic and friendly countries.
Earthquake-resistant design construction
The affected population was also trained for earthquake-resistant design construction for house building and private properties.
In recognition of ensuring the earthquake-resistant aspect in the reconstruction of private houses, ERRA was awarded the “Sasakawa Award” by the United Nations in 2011.
Khalid Mahmood Mirza said that currently, a total of 7608 projects are underway, out of which 5878 (77%) have been completed and work is ongoing on 919 (12%), while work on the remaining 811 (11%) could not be started due to financial constraints.
Briefing on the pace of reconstruction program, he said that out of 2718 projects in the education sector, 1606 have been completed, work is ongoing on 515, while work on 597 could not be started due to lack of funds.
Out of 160 projects in the health sector, 119 are complete, 21 are under construction, while work on 20 has not started yet.
Out of 128 projects in environment and forests, 84 are complete, 43 are ongoing, while work on 1 has not started yet.
Out of 223 projects of governance (government buildings), work on 161 has been completed, 60 are ongoing, while work on 2 projects has not started yet.
Out of 1426 projects of livelihood (agriculture and animal husbandry), 1038 are complete, 251 are ongoing, and work on 137 has not started yet.
Work on 11 power projects has been completed. Work on 6 social protection projects, one telecommunication project, and town planning (urban development) projects has been completed.
Out of 138 transport (communication and transportation) projects, work on 136 has been completed, work is ongoing on one, while work on one has not started yet.
Out of 2795 projects of drinking water and sanitation, 2714 projects have been completed, work is ongoing on 28, while work on 53 projects could not be started. Thus, overall, out of 7608 projects, work on 5878 has been completed, work is ongoing on 919, and work on 811 could not be started yet.
Against the financial loss of Rs125 billion in the earthquake-affected districts of Azad Kashmir, the total volume of the reconstruction program is currently Rs225 billion, against which Rs181 billion have been spent.
He informed that approximately 44 billion rupees more are required for the completion of the reconstruction program.
In this regard, a request has been made to the Federal Planning Commission to provide Rs1 billion in the current financial year for the completion of 65 schools where construction work is more than 80% complete.
