ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday announced a comprehensive compensation package for the people affected by the submergence of their homes due to lake created by the landslide at Attaabad, Hunza and reiterated that the Government would do even more for the affectees. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday after the Federal Cabinets meeting, wherein besides so many other issues the Attaabad Lake issue came under threadbare discussion, Prime Minister Gilani informed that the helicopter service was resumed to shift the affected families to safe places. He said that the intensity of damages to the roads and villages was considerably reduced with the excavation of spillways. Dispelling the criticism following his visit to Gilgit and Hunza, Premier Gilani said that it would have been unfair if compensation was announced without conducting proper damage assessment. We will do all within our resources to mitigate the peoples sufferings, he said and vowed to stand by the affected people in the hour of need. He said each and every person would be looked after and assured that the Government would fully support the affected people of Gilgit and Hunza. He also assured that all the 500 families would be provided due compensation transparently. He said that the relief goods worth Rs 50 million had already been dispatched to the area for the affected people. He said that an amount of Rs 200,000 would be paid for loss of land, Rs 400,000 for completely damaged houses and Rs 160,000 for partially damaged houses. The Prime Minister said the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan would provide free wheat and flour to the affectees for next two months. He said Rs 100,000 will be paid to each family for the submergence of properties at Aminabad, Shishkat and Gulmit, besides an amount of Rs 5000 for each affected family for next six months. He said that the Utility Stores Corporation would set up its outlets at Gilgit and Sust. To a question, Gilani said there was no negligence, as the helicopters made 751 sorties to provide relief goods and evacuate and shift the stranded people. He said that it was other than the relief goods carried by three C-130 planes. Gilani appreciated the efforts of Frontier Works Organisation for creating the spillway in the shortest possible time to reduce the risk of devastation and placement of an early warning system. He said that an additional food support of Rs 55 million was being provided besides an amount of Rs 45 million by the NGOs and various organisations. He also asked the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to establish an education assistance fund to bear the expediters of the affected children for at least two semesters. The Prime Minister also announced construction of the damaged sections of the Karakoram Highway. About the rich potential of tourism of the Northern Areas, Gilani assured that all measures would be taken to promote it and said there was no issue of extremism and terrorism in that area. Prime Minister Gilani said that the Government had been carrying out the relief activities since the initial landslide occurred and the ministers and senior officials had been making the frequent visits since then. Gilani was also appreciative of the efforts of the Governments of Punjab and Sindh for relief measures and urged other philanthropists and relief agencies to assist the Government in this task. Chairman NDMA General (Retd) Nadeem said the lake was rising by 3.1 feet a day and said in case of heavy rains the process could speed up. He said with regular flow, the water was expected to reach the spillway by May 28. He said that red flags had been erected all along the route. He said the artificial lake had 0.13 million acre-feet of water, while the capacity of Tarbela Dam was around 6 MAF and it could easily accommodate this water. He said that the landslide at Attaabad covered an area of around 2km and it was not possible to blast it away, as it could trigger more landslides in an area, which was highly unstable. He said that the experts of the World Bank and Britain termed the measures taken as the best possible under the prevailing circumstances. Responding to a query regarding protests by the affectees during his Hunza visit, the PM said that some people staged protest demonstration, however, the Government was committed to compensate all the grieved families on priority basis as soon as we formulate estimation of the damages in the area. While Chairman National Disastrous Management Authority Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed also informed about the technicalities of Attaabads accidental lake and hoped that the water would start following out of the lake through the spillway by 28th of this month. He also emphasised that all the arrangements had been finalised and the Government was ready to face any untoward incident and warning system had been installed in all the possibly would-be-affected areas.