Villagers try to cope with flood destructions
CHITRAL, Aug 18: Though the government and private organizations have tried their best to reach out to the flood-affected people, there is an uncertainty about the proper rehabilitation of the displaced people.
A visit to different villages in upper Chitral not directly affected by flash floods showed the residents were equally affected by the prolonged and intermittent rains and road blockaded. But unlike in other parts of the country, there was no panic buying of essential commodities even the main supply route from Chitral town remained closed for over four weeks.
In many villages, floodwater destroyed standing crops, especially wheat, which could not be harvested even in the middle of August. The incessant rains have damaged or spoiled the wheat crops in the fields.
A food department official visiting the Yarkhun valley said that most of the sale points in the Mastuj tehsil had run out of stock.
In most of the villages, the rains and floods also damaged small hydropower stations and water channels. The unavailability of irrigation water for weeks also damaged the crops. People were seen working on the restoration of the water channels and most of them were again damaged by floods.
Darkhot and Chikan streams of Brep inundated about 30% of Brep a gateway to Yarkhun valley leading to Broghel pass in the extreme north of Chitral. It is famous for its fruits specially apple in Chitral and more in Pakistna. The flood of mud and heavy boulders that buried residential houses,land with standing crops, orchard, irrigation channels, electric poles and road are so heavy and thick that people working on self help basis cannot make it clear. People working on it say that rehabilitation of flooded road in kilometer shall be possible when it gets dry. Main issue here is protection of remaining village that is almost at the verge of destruction if courses of both the streams are not cleared and widened making flood pass through and fall into river uninterruptedly. The Government and non Government stakeholders should think over it seriously. As one of the flood effected person from Brep I met concerned officials of Pak Army/Chitral Scout in Chitral with request for relief to affected people in Brep, Khruzg and in Yarkhun and for rehabilitation of infrastructure as early as possible. Lets hope that concerned officials FWO might take action and enable restoration of roads and bridges and irrigation channels on priority basis.