PESHAWAR: The district administration has launched crackdown on illegal camps set up by unregistered organisations and individuals, collecting donations in the name of flood-hit population.

“We have closed down more than 100 camps established by individuals or unregistered organisations for raising donations for flood victims. The crackdown is in progress,” Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan told Dawn.

He said that he had ordered strict action against the camps established by unauthorised people in the city. He said that only the registered organisations like Edhi Foundation, Chhipa Welfare Association, Al-Khidmat Foundation and other registered charities would be allowed to collect donations.

Similarly, the registered political parties are also entitled to indulge in relief activities as per law, he said.

Peshawar DC says only registered charities can collect funds

The deputy commissioner said that such illegal activities were not allowed. He asked the people to join the government’s relief activities and support Rescue 1122 in the field but stay away from collecting illegal donations. “These kinds of camps have also been strictly banned by the government due to fear of terrorism,” he added.

He said that the people donate cash, blankets and edible items should visit the camps at Shah Tehmas Football Stadium and Hayatabad Sports Complex so that their donations could reach the deserving people through government.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash was briefed in a meeting by health officials regarding flood response.

Director-General Health Services Dr Shaheen Afridi said that most of the health facilities had become functional and alternate arrangements had been put in place in the areas where health outlets were not operating to a desired level due to flood.

The meeting was convened to take measures for prevention of outbreak of diseases in the flood-stricken areas. The meeting, also attended by Health Secretary Amer Sultan Tareen, was informed that enough stock of medicines was dispatched to the affected areas and health staff was present at the camps established for the people displaced by the flood.

According to a report of health department, so far 91,872 patients have been examined at 103 medical camps with the help of 336 health professionals in 18 flood-hit districts in the province.

It said that 26 per cent patients suffered from skin disease and as many from acute respiratory tract infection while 23 per cent had diarrhoea and 23 per cent were affected by other ailments. “A total of six fatalities have been reported so far,” it added.

The report said that two trucks each of medicines were sent to Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan and Charsadda and one each to Kohistan Lower, Chitral, Tank and Shangla. It said that 17 emergency kits, each sufficient for 10,000 people were sent to all flood-hit districts. Mobile health units would also start operation soon, it said.

Sources in health department said that emergency fund was not available for flood activities amid fear of potential disease outbreaks due to contaminated water used by people. They said that sending medical supplies to the affected areas had become a daunting task owing to the damaged roads.

Officials said that surveillance was likely to suffer in the absence of logistics support to health staff engaged in medical relief work in the affected areas. They said that people required clean drinking water and hygiene.

The torrential rain, followed by flood, caused partial damage to 49 health outlets while 21 outlets were fully damaged. As per report from the flood region, 12 facilities have got completely submerged and 10 other washed out, which need to be rebuilt.

Sources said that health department was diverting resources from other projects to meet the requirements of patients at camps. They said that the department needed resources to deal with the situation effectively.

Our Correspondent from Mansehra adds:

The administration of Baffa-Pakhal tehsil on Tuesday said it had closed dozens of unregistered charities for collecting donations for flood victims and would crack down on those continuing to do so without permission.

“Only registered organisations are allowed to set up flood donation camps in our tehsil,” assistant commissioner Novaria Farooq told reporters.

Leading a team of tehsil administration and police, she visited Shinkiari and Baffa bazaars and adjoining localities and got donation camps of unregistered charities closed.

Ms Novaria warned those collecting donations for disaster victims without formal permission of the administration would be dealt with strictly.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2022