Gul Hamaad Farooqi
Chitral, February 19: Responding to a protest demonstration and considering the hardships being faced by the women of Bakarbad vilage of Chitral, the Norwegian Ambassador has relased eight million rupees for completion of a water supply project in the region.
During his visit, a number of women had come out on the roads to demand project for supply of clean drinking water.
The women in Bakarabad, Lalmi Lalmi2, Lalmmi3 and Acholgah, villages in Chitral, had to carry clean drinking water in pitchers, cans and buckets up a steep slope because their area has no facility for supply of drinkable water. The glacial water used by the villages is contaminated and poses serious threats for the health of the consumers.
Royal Norwegian ambassador Ms Cecilie Landsverk has reportedly approved rupees 8 million for water supply scheme under the CIADP and Creative Approach for Development initiatives and the work has already been started. Around 40000 feet long pipeline from Jughor goal fountain will be laid to supply water for the villages and around 210 households would benefit from the project.
Women of the area are compelled to carry drinking water from an open stream its water is contaminated due to putting of leaf, dust and other dirty things being flowing openly. CAD carrying some 40000 feet long pipeline for this area where some 2000 feet pipe is clipped with rock. This water supply schemes is being carrying from Jughor goal spring which will solve water shortage issue. Some 210 houses holds are its beneficiaries of the project.
Iqbal Murad, a local social worker, said that they had requested the public health department and their elected representatives including district administration time and again for provision of drinking water but they did nothing.
They thanked Norwegian government and CIADP who donated around 8 million rupees for this purposes. Residents of the area are optimistic that after completion of this project they will get potable drinking water at their door step and their women and children will get relief from a terrible exercise of carrying water on their head.
