Post Traumatic Earthquake Scenario of Kashmir

By Zafar Iqbal

The shattered hopes of one and half million Kashmiris living in the earth-quake affected
areas have again lifted by the heartening news of a recent agreement signed between
China and Pakistan in order to reconstruct and rehabilitate three major cities of Pakistan
controlled Kashmir. The billions dollars project termed “build back better” conceived
from the Clinton Tsunami Slogan envisions the provision of modern life facilities in
Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh. The historically worst earthquake in region which
claimed above 73,000 people devastated all infrastructures in three districts of Azad
Kashmir. But, it is heart-rending to state the in spite of generous financial support from
world community, the rehabilitation work in affected areas has not been started even after
three and half years and it is still in limbo.

Previous and the government incumbent of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have been sugar-
coating the innocent citizens that affected areas would be turned into Paris and Dubai
soon. Conversely, the reality makes mockery of forged statements and groundless claims
of rulers that overwhelmingly majority of victims are still living a miserable life due to
incompletion of schools, roads, houses and other public buildings as well as at the hands
of red-tapism. The stories of corruption and laxity of officials are prevalent; specifically
of those departments directly responsible for carrying into effect the rehabilitation
process are major target of public criticism and severe dress-down.
Though more than 80 per cent people in affected areas have received their compensation
funds for the reconstruction of homes, but their houses have not been completed yet due
to numerous factors particularly in economic sense like inappropriate planning in designs,
increase in prices of construction material, non- availability of required skilled force, the
delaying of payments of funds and red-tapism.

Today, a huge number of people are still living in damaged or rickety buildings because
of lack of alternative residences. Some areas have been demarcated to be under fault
lines; therefore, the owners of such lands need substitute properties for their permanent
settlements but the commitments and plans of construction of housing towns make their
existence only in files.

Moreover, a huge number of schools and health centres are waiting for their buildings
and shelters. Officials admit that only 274 schools out of 2706 educational institutions
were built which means about two hundred seventy five thousand students mostly
children out of total three hundred thousand are still studying without shelter. Likewise,
majority from 176 damaged buildings of health institutes also necessitates construction of
new buildings.

Various new institutions were established by governments in the name of reconstruction;

however, the performance of these institutions is not up to the mark or seems to be
invisible to general public. Citizens believe that such newly established departments and

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organizations have become El- Dorado in respect of ‘job employment bureaus’ for
influential people who lack any transparent system of recruitment and monitoring of their
progress. For instance, if two departments like State Disaster Management Authority
(SDMA) and Civil Defence are juxtaposed together, then SDMA is crystal clear
manifestation of wastage of public money because similar department - Civil Defence,
already exists and needs complete revamping.

The most significant department in all rebuilding process is Earthquake Reconstruction

and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) which is under criticisms since its inception due to
lack of coordination, inefficiency, alleged corruption, nepotism and favoritism. The
misappropriations and embezzlement of billions of rupees in the ERRA have also been
observed by government’s own institution like the National Assembly of Pakistan which
categorically mentioned that the ERRA has not put into harness all allocated funds
transparently and it must be monitored and checked by public representatives and other
watchdogs.

Subsequent to the earthquake some international donors like Department for International
Development (DFID) had allocated massive funds for restructuring and strengthening of
local government’s bodies; nonetheless, their performance is continuously on the
downhill day by day, for instance, in Muzaffarabad which is the largest city of the region,
all roads and streets look like a filth depot due to lack of any coordinated cleaning
apparatus. The congestion of traffic has also escalating the air and noise pollution and
posing various environmental hazards and diseases to the public.

Growing urbanization demands the implementation of latest systems of recycling, solid

waste management and green living, but, majority of officials in the local councils do not
hold necessary orientation and training to enforce international development and
environmental standards where as people are also not aware of the fact that injudicious
utilization of natural resources poses threats to their life and natural resources of the
region as well. Under this scenario, it is binding upon the public and policy makers to
learn about such latest interventions of sustainable livelihood.

It is the responsibility of government to mitigate people’s concern and legitimate

reservations about the rehabilitation process through practical measures. The stalwarts in
the government should realize that in today’s era of growing transnational
communications and awareness created by media public can not be hoodwinked through
fake claims and bogus announcements about development and progress. The government
has already squandered enough time in claims now people need pragmatic actions, not
slogans and must help the helpless.

The writer is freelance journalist and Founder President of Environmental Journalists

Forum, AJK. He could be accessed at: zafarjournalist@gmail.lcom )

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This article is also available at following sources:

http://www.opfblog.com/8659/post-traumatic-earthquake-scenario-of-kashmir/
http://www.dailyshadow.in/theshadow/newsdet.aspx?q=14376
http://www.groundreport.com/Opinion/Post-Traumatic-Earthquake-Scenario-of-Kashmir
http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2009/post_traumatic_earthquake_scen.html
http://www.pakspectator.com/post-traumatic-earthquake-scenario-of-kashmir/
http://peace-international.blogspot.com/2009/07/post-traumatic-earthquake-scenario-
of.html
http://www.scoopnews.in/det.aspx?3707