* HRCP reports farmers lacking influential patronage missed out financial, material assistance
LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) voiced concern that the problems of the flood-hit people all over Pakistan seem to have come off the priority list even though the difficulties facing the affected people remain as challenging as ever and have even aggravated in some areas.
HRCP has been conducting damage and needs assessment in 33 flood-affected districts across the country and monitoring relief efforts there. In January and February, the commission held consultations with its activists who had worked to collect information in the past six months about the situation in the flood-affected areas in order to assess the situation of the people. The following findings emerged during the consultations:
Government policies to deal with the post-flood situation lacked consistency and did not take into account the dissimilar needs and the varying nature and extent of damage in different areas. The absence of a disaster management plan aggravated the damages. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) lacked preparedness to cope with the situation. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also failed to address the problems of the people in a meaningful manner.
Lack of a representative local government system and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) made post-flood works more centralised and excluded the affected people from the decision-making process.
Serious allegations of corruption in distribution of material and financial assistance by the official and non-government organisations were reported. The work to restore the destroyed infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools and health facilities, was exceptionally slow, which had grave implications not only for health and education of the people but also for the revival of livelihoods.
The pace of issuance of Watan Cards was very slow and complaints of bribery and favouritism and issuance of cards to ineligible persons abounded. In only a few affected areas, more than 50 percent of those eligible had actually received the cards. The recipients had only been able to withdraw the first instalment of Rs 20,000 but not the second installment of Rs 80,000.
Farmers and tenants who lacked influential patronage missed out financial and material assistance, including seeds and fertiliser. The policy of building model villages and houses at a distance from the affected populations’ farmland was considered unworkable, as the farmers were unlikely to move there.
At many places in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa floodwater and sludge were still there nearly half a year after the floods, rendering resumption of farming and return to normal life impossible.
Source: Daily Times
Date:2/12/2011
