The people of Kalam Valley have shown rare resolve in braving the ravages of the flashflood. In their eagerness to resume normal activities they have set about repairing the losses on self-help basis instead of waiting for the slow moving government agencies to make a move towards reconstruction work.

Hundreds of volunteers are busy in repairing bridges and roads. They took up the repair and reconstruction work as soon as the flood water receded. They are doing this work without demanding wages from any public agency.

“The construction of this bridge is of immense importance to my family and area and due to the same reason we have been voluntarily participating in this work,” said Mohabat Khan while busy in rebuilding a small bridge over the river outside the Kalam Bazaar. With the reconstruction of the bridge traffic between Kalam and other areas like Utroar, Gibral and Usho would be restored.

“After the main bridge was washed away, we restored the pedestrian bridge so that people could cross the river,” said Khan, a resident of Utroar, pointing towards a small wooden makeshift bridge. However, he added that for transport to resume plying it would be necessary to complete reconstruction of the main bridge.

Around 40 volunteers lifted a small prefabricated part of the bridge and slowly moved it to the river bank. A lone excavator was also at work.

An army official supervising the work said that most of these people were volunteers. He said that the government would decide whether to pay any wages to them or not.

Several other volunteers were at work on an embankment along the badly eroded road passing through the Kalam Bazaar. Almost all the structures on the right bank of the river, mostly hotels, restaurants and shops, have either been washed away entirely or have been badly damaged.

An elder, Malik Muhammad Jan, pointed towards the river which has changed its course and was now passing through a populated area near its left bank.

“The construction of the embankments would help in diverting the river to its original course,” he said. A non-governmental organization (NGO) official had visited them a few days back and had promised to pay the volunteers. We hope the NGO keeps its promise, Jan said.

While people were mostly complaining about shortage of rations and other items, life was limping back to normal as vendors are back in their damaged shops in Kalam Bazaar. However, the supply of commodities has not resumed as most of the roads and bridges connecting Kalam with the rest of Swat district were swept away by the flood on July 29 and 30. Some of them had walked 40km to bring daily use items on their backs trudging through mountain tracks.

A small tetrapack of milk that was selling for Rs15 before the floods was now costing up to Rs70. A shopkeeper, Muhammad Ayaz, said that the same pack was selling at Rs90 across the river. “I am selling the old stock which had remained unharmed during the flood. My brother has gone to Khwazakhela to bring some fresh items, but he has to walk for many hours,” he added. Some of the residents said that sugar was selling at Rs160 to Rs200 per kg.

American helicopters have regularly been ferrying relief items to Kalam and adjoining valleys, which has helped in easing the situation somewhat.

A social activist of the area, Malik Sahibullah, said that the population of Kalam and adjoining areas was over 100,000. The requirement of rations for these people could not be met through the helicopter service. “The government should start the restoration of roads and bridges at the earliest on a large scale,” he added.

Majority of the people have lost their means of livelihood, especially those dependent on agriculture. “I had acquired a piece of land on lease for Rs300,000 but now there is no route available to transport the vegetables to the market,” said a vendor, Nawaz Khan. He said the vegetables which are perishable cannot be retained for long and have to be disposed off at throw away prices.

The rate of peas here was Rs10 to Rs15 per kg whereas in other parts of the province peas were selling at Rs70. Nawaz said he had no money to pay to the landlord. It might take a couple of seasons to recover from the losses.

Yet generally the people have not lost hope. They still greet strangers with a smile on their faces as in the past. This is their culture which depends so much on tourism, a hospitality business.