Displaced people seek facilities before winter sets in

BARA: The displaced people from upper Bara have asked the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide facilities to them before the start of the winter.

Talking to The News, a resident of the upper Bara Qazi, Waris Khan belonging to the Sipah tribe said the people had been facing a host of problems since returning to native areas.

He said the people had moved to Peshawar and other districts when the security forces launched operations against the militants in Tirah valley.

“When we came back to native areas six months ago, our homes had been destroyed during the military operations and heavy rains,” Qazi Waris said, adding that now they were living in a tent.

Sardar Khan, another displaced person, said those people, who had returned to their native area, needed shelter, drinking water and food.

“The government should announce development projects for our areas,” he said.

He added that the government provided one tent and a little food to the displaced people six months ago. Sardar Khan said the local people would be compelled to go to other areas if they were not provided facilities at their doorstep.

He added the government should repair the watercourses to bring the land under cultivation besides providing seeds and agricultural implements

Wali Khan, an elder of Sipah tribe, said the government should build the bridge on the Bara River as the people were facing problems. He asked the government to establish a health centre in Upper Bara to provide treatment facilities to the affected people.

“We want the government to launch a survey of the destroyed homes in upper Bara,” Wali Khan said, adding the affected people had been living in tents for the last six months. He stated that they were facing a shortage of drinking water.