UN Formulates Action Plan for Relief to Recovery in Quake-hit Areas of Pakistan

The humanitarian community in Pakistan is preparing an Action Plan for Relief to Recovery in order to ensure that there is no gap between relief and reconstruction. The main aim of this plan form the remaining winter month is to improve sanitation and to prevent the outbreaks of diseases in the spring.

Commenting on this plan, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) in Pakistan, Mr. Jan Vandemoortele said, "In order to avoid a gap between the end of relief phase and the start of reconstruction, the Humanitarian Plan will cover a one year period from April 06 to April 07. It will be drafted from the inputs received from the clusters in the field and will comprise of activities for the recovery phase." He was addressing the Permanent Missions to the United Nations at OCHA, Geneva. "The Action Plan will not be an extra appeal. It will be a guideline for the donors to identify how and where to expend the money concretely," he added. He also said that the return of displaced families to their homes would depend on rubble removal and urban/rural planning comprising land tenure, house deeds and compulsory sale The UN has also opened some 900 schools in the area that are teaching 100,000 displaced children.