Updates for Karachi Chapter,Northern Areas,Pakistan: AfH/ KRT Volunteer Flood Relief Program(September 2010)

AfH/KRT Flood Relief survey in Northern areas,Pakistan

Over a span of 3 days(3-5th September,2010),a number of areas in Northern Pakistan were visited by the AfH/KRT volunteers. These include Nowshera, Kurvi, Banda, Muhib, Munda Headworks and Fizagut in Swat. Below is a synopsis of the observations and future interventions proposed by our team.

Nowshera

Nowshera,a prominent city of Nowshera District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan lies along the Grand Trunk Road. However, with recent torrential floods, water in its Mohallas had reached above 10’-0”. Through AfH/KRT’s Cleaning and Fumigation Programme in the area, houses have been returned to 3,500 families. Further proposals for the upgradation of the area include:

•Rehabilitation of schools, paint, cleaning, toilets, etc.

•Medical OPD after Eid, to address water borne diseases in the area, i.e. eye infections, skin ailments and diarrhea.

•Boreholes to be provided, as water sources have been disabled after the floods.

•Pak Pani potable water units may be deployed in the 3,500 houses if the ground water tests reveal contamination.

•AfH/KRT will provide household packages to 400 homes which include bedding, fan, water cooler, cooling utensils, etc.

•Afh/KRT will spearhead a project to uplift a mohalla whereby streets will be improved, including sanitation, solid waste management and general painting.

Kurvi, Banda Muhib

In this area, 300 houses were damaged by the floods and have been surveyed. AfH/KRT volunteers are to make a decision on the kind of intervention possible.

Munda Headworks

Munda Headworks (a mega irrigation system constructed by the British engineers in 1921), lying along river Swat, was severely damaged in recent floods. The area is considered as the food basket of the province. Six out of eight gates of the head works were washed away, which irrigates over 135,000 acres of land in Peshawar Valley. Our Afh/KRT team has proposed the following measures:

•The initiation of rebuilding up to 30 homes in the village next to the headworks.

•The homes that existed were all ravaged by the flood water because they were built on the flood plains. As a result, our volunteers have earmarked land on high ground for initially 23 houses (2 room each, with 45’x60’ lot size.

•Another 7 homes are programmed to be built in close proximity to the main village.

•All labour will be locally provided and a Self-help scheme will be established with specialized training for the construction.

•At the request of village elders, we have decided to sponsor a school for 400 children which was destroyed in the floods.

•AfH/KRT with local assistance is exploring several avenues for income generation such as mango orchards and organic honey production

Swat, Fizagut

AfH/KRT visited Swat with the intention to help the local population rebuild bridges. The team surveyed a potential site at Fizagut. AfH/KRT volunteers have proposed the following measure for the area’s reconstruction:

•Prior to our upcoming visit, our team will consult the military and administration to work on the design and feasibility of providing a suspension bridge for light vehicles at an earmarked crossing.