SC gives six months to ERRA for reconstruction of quake-hit schools in K-P

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has given the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) six months to complete all under-construction schools in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) damaged or razed in the 2005 earthquake.

A three-member bench of the top court headed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed presided over the case on Tuesday.

An earthquake of 7.6 magnitude had hit northern areas of Pakistan on October 8, 2005, which resulted in widespread devastation.

During the proceeding, the K-P government’s counsel informed the bench that 244 schools have been reconstructed. He claimed that 70 percent of rehabilitation work in the remaining educational institutions has been completed as well.

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The government’s counsel said the construction work in the northern districts of the province remained halted during the winter season.

At this, CJP commented that it seemed that quake-hit schools will remain under construction. Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked EERA to give a deadline when all schools will be restored and become operational.

The provincial government’s counsel sought time until May next year for the completion of all quake-hit schools in the province. The bench directed ERRA to complete the reconstruction of all quake-hit schools within six months.

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CJP also warned the rehabilitation authority that non-submission of a report on the reconstruction of schools after the given period will result in contempt of court.

The court has also summoned ERRA chairman in the next proceeding after six months.