PESHAWAR, Nov 9: The much awaited return process of internally displaced persons from South Waziristan Agency is likely to start from first week of December after receiving clearance from the authorities, according to officials.

In first phase 60,000 to 80,000 IDPs would be sent back to Serwakai and Sararogha tehsils as the authorities have cleared these areas and provision of basic facilities would be ensured to the returnees. A UN mission had visited conflict-hit areas last month to asses security situation and basic needs.

The officials said that 13 villages had been identified where approximately 8,000 families would be sent back to their homes. The return of the IDPs had been postponed twice in the past.

Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) Director General Arshad Khan told Dawn that UNHCR and its partners had conducted return intention survey and about 85 per cent IDPs had expressed willingness to return to their homes. The survey was conducted in October last.

“This is tentative plan,” he said, adding theUN agencies including World Food Programme, Unicef, UNHCR and other humanitarian bodies had agreed in principle to assist the return process.

He said that the mission had reservations over heavy presence of security forces in the conflict-hit areas.

“The mission was informed that after return, the local people would fulfil their collective and territorial responsibilities. Then there will be no need of heavy deployment in the area,” Mr Khan said.

The officials said that security situation in the area inhabited by Mehsud tribe had shown signs of improvement as only 16 security related incidents had taken place this year so far compared to 97 cases reported in 2009. Political authorities had asked the quarters concerned in July last to de-notify the area as conflict zone in order to start return programme of the IDPs.

However, they said unexploded ordnances and improvised explosive devices were still threat for the human lives in the conflict-hit areas. Some villages had been cleared from explosives.

The mission in its report recommended devising awareness programme regarding landmines.

The FDMA said that total 41,489 displaced families had been registered residing off the camps in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan and other areas of the country since October 2009. These IDPs hailing from Mehsud tribe fled their homes when security forces launched operation Rah-i-Nijat to stamp out militants from the agency.

Officials said that the mission headed by Fernando Hesse of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had visited Jandola, Wana, Chagmalai and Spinkai Raghzai area in October last to determine whether the proposed return areas suitable for the resettlement of population.

Military officials and political administration briefed the mission about post-conflict security situation, peoples` needs and state of health, education facilities and communication network in the affected areas.

Security officials acknowledged that they would stay in the areas providing security as long as was required.

The Frontier Works Organisation, a subsidiary of the army, and local authorities have started repair and reconstruction of roads and water supply schemes. The mission in its report said that basic social services infrastructure like health facilities, schools, water supply schemes, were in poor conditions or in a total state of disrepair while these areas also lacked presence of any office of the public administration.

Each returning family will get cash grant of Rs25,000, one or two tents depending on the family size, one month food rations, non-food items and free transport.

The government has set up special task force comprising civil administration, law enforcement agencies, UN agencies and other humanitarian bodies to facilitate the returnees.