Fractious river threatens Junal Koch

Chitral-- For the last four days as the weather gets hotter, the Yarkhun River crossed its high water mark and continued eroding the remaining lands and forest of last year in the Lower Junali Koach area of tehsil Mulkow upper Chitral. The river since yesterday washed away almost all property of seven people and affected other people of Lower Junali Koach partially. ‘As the river continued to tear down the cropped lands and dense forests located beside it, with the support of volunteers of Junali Koach and Charun we evacuated the moveable property of the affected people on safe places’ Police said. Bahadar Khan, Sher Khan, Ghaib-e-Ali, Noor Afzal, Khalil Ahmad, Nisar Ahmad, Musar and Doulat Bai are the most affected people, he also said. For temporary habilitation of the sufferers of Yarkhun River, FOCUS has provided camps and even five roomed tents as was intimated. TMA Mastuj has also been offering his possible Institutional services and support to the affected people and used to ensure water supply to the people using Fire Brigade today. Electricity supply was also restored to Lower Junali Koach after one day. The Police officers of Booni Thana are monitoring and soldiers are on duty and standby to meet as the situation so demands.
Now river is flowing about one hundred meter from its actual way and hundreds of acre seasoned cropped-fields near to ripe and countless trees have disappeared within two days and the owners only praying looking shocked and upset the cruel waves eroding their sources of survival gradually.

The affected people of Junali Koach are looking for the benign response of government for providing them permanent safe place for settlement and financial support for rehabilitation so that they could live with their families away from the perpetual threat of river. They are also optimistic about the humanitarian non-governmental organizations providing them support for resettlement. The affected people demand that they do not need of foodstuffs and clothing for few days, a month and a year they need support for permanent rehabilitation in safer area.-- report & pics by Alhaj Muhammad Khan Charun, Chitral 24 Aug 2012.

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