Flood victims allege authorities embezzled aid

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Victims of last year’s devastating floods in the Guzargah-i-Nur district of northern Baghlan province on Tuesday accused local officials of pocketing much of the aid meant for distribution to them.

The allegation comes after the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) recently built houses for residents who had lost their homes to the natural disaster.

At least 72 people, including 15 women and 36 children, were killed and dozens others wounded in the devastating flash floods that washed away 1,200 houses in the district in June 2014.

The NRC has built homes for 650 families and provided each of them with a coverlet, coal and a heater.

NRC head in the north, Habibullah Mujadidi, said the new homes were allotted to the most deserving people.

He said the NRC spent more than $600,000 to construct the houses and providing other assistance to the families.

Rahim Dad, a resident, said: “I lost all my family members to the floods and I currently live alone in a house built by the NRC.”

Arbab Sirajuddin, a tribal elder, said the flood-affected people had long been facing numerous problems such as shortages of food, firewood, appliances and others.

He alleged local officials had misused and pocketed much of the aid that was supposed to be given to the affected families. He urged the international community to fulfill its promises of aid to the flood victims.

nh/ma

Visits: 0