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Published 16 Sep, 2010 12:00am

Slow-paced registration to extend IDPs` stay in camps

BADIN, Sept 15 Flood survivors living in relief camps and private places in Badin district may have to face another setback as they would be strained to remain away from their homes for many more months even though water from their villages have receded.

The persisting ordeal would be due to Nadra's lack of interest in registration and preparation of Watan Card and payment of Rs20,000 to each flood-displaced family as announced by the government.

The delay may create additional problems for district administration including law and order situation, trouble in running educational institutions and additional financial burden.

There are 10,000 families putting up in 203 camps in Badin district alone, as per the figures obtained by Dawn's correspondent with an equal number of families residing at private places.

The district administration has also started making entries of people not living in camps and the list would be sent to Nadra for registration. The move is to ensure that none was left out.

The only Nadra counter at the DO Education Office may not be able to cope with the heavy registration work within the stipulated period.

Only 218 out of 1,700 verified families got themselves registered from Saturday to Wednesday meaning issuance of 44 daily, said a government official.

Majority of people from Sujawal taluka are keen on returning to their homes, if only their cards could be processed earlier.

One such person pleaded to the government to facilitate families in receiving Watan Cards from their homes by issuing them authority letters as these would help them in getting registered from their hometowns.

The DCO, Badin, Agha Wasif Abbas expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of work at Nadra counter, issued instructions for speedy work.

The Deputy Director of Nadra Badin and Tando Mohammad Khan Aaqib Palijo refused to offer any comments.

Our Khairpur correspondent adds The IDPs in Khairpur have neither been issued any Watan Cards nor a Nadra counter was set up here.

However, efforts were afoot to set up one such counter which is expected to be inaugurated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday.

DCO Khairpur Mohammad Abbas Baloch told Dawn that arrangements to issue Watan Cards have been completed.

He claimed the presence of around 233,000 IDPs in the district. Nadra official Jameel Ahmed Pitafi said that it would take hardly 10 to 13 minutes to verify the NIC of an IDP after the establishment of a counter.

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