Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (Parliament Times): AJK government Tuesday declared the recent-earthquake-hit Mirpur AJK the calamity hit area, it was officially announced.
The President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, exercising his powers, under Section 3 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Natural Calamities (Prevention and Relief Act 1976) declared tehsil Mirpur and three union councils of adjoinging Bhimbher district including Panjeiri, Kasgumma and Akber Abad the calamity-hit areas, an official notification issued on Tuesday said.
The government also accorded approval for appointment of Commissioner Mirpur division as the Relief Commissioner. The Relief Commissioner would have the powers determined in the aforesaid Azad Jammu and Kashmir Natural Calamities (Prevention and Relief Act 1976), the notification said.
“The notification is enforced with immediate effect”, it said.
It may be added that the AJK government took the decision to declare Mirpur the calamity hit area on the strong recommendations of Commissioner Mirpur division, Muhammad Tayyeb, who moved a detailed summary to the government soon after the September 24 catastrophe hit various parts of Mirpur sub division besides some adjoining areas of Bhimbher district suggesting immediate declaration of the quake-stricken Mirpur sub division and some adjoining parts of Bhimbher district – the calamity-hit area.
The AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan had agreed to the Commissioner’s recommendations containing a detailed summary for delivery of due relief to the affectees of the natural calamity-hit areas under the prevailing law of the land.
