Three more uplift projects inaugurated in merged districts

PESHAWAR: Uplift works are gaining space in the merged tribal districts as three more projects were inaugurated in the hitherto neglected region.

Built at the cumulative cost of Rs7.6 million by Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), the projects would benefit over 235 households with access to clean drinking water in three villages of South Waziristan, Khyber and Kurram tribal districts. The inauguration ceremonies of the schemes were attended by the representatives of district administration office, local formation, tribal elders and scores of community members.

The schemes have been built under the German government-funded and KFW-financed “Reintegration and Rehabilitation of TDP’s in newly merged districts (RRP-TDP)” project.

In South Waziristan district, the inauguration ceremony of a gravity flow drinking water supply scheme with 7000-gallon water tank was held at Karama village, Ladha tehsil of the district.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the representatives from the district administration, local formation, local elders and community members.

Lt Col Amir was the chief guest of the event. He said the scheme would meet the needs of over 70 households in the village with the round-the-clock availability of clean drinking water.

Malik Raj Gul, an elder of the village, welcomed the development efforts and thanked the governments of Pakistan, Germany and the SRSP for jointly addressing their important needs. In Khyber district, a groundbreaking ceremony for a drinking water supply scheme “solarized tube-well with 7000-gallon water tank and 2800 feet distribution lines” was held in Khormatang village in Bara tehsil.

The village with a population of 3,000 people is located at the distance of only two hours’ drive from Peshawar but had not benefited from development interventions in the past.

The facility will be built within the next three months for a cost of PKR 3.9 million benefiting over 85 households with access to clean drinking water at their doorsteps. Sayad Baran, a local, said the projects make them feel being a part of the country.

In the Kurrum district, a drinking water supply scheme with 5000-gallon water tank was inaugurated by Kurram Deputy Commissioner Shah Fahad at Ganday Killay in Pewar, Parachinar.

Kurram Additional Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir, SDO Public Health Ibrar Hussain, representatives from the local formation and community elders also attended the inauguration ceremony.

The scheme which was executed for a total cost of Rs1.2 million would benefit over 80 households in the village. Kurram Deputy Commissioner Shah Fahad in his speech appreciated the participatory approach of development implemented by the SRSP in the district; especially the measures for maintaining and sustaining the scheme by the communities themselves were applauded.

Syed Awlad Hussain, head of SRSP for merged district programmes, said that all the stakeholders were contributing to the success of the project by extending all cooperation to it.

Syed Zawar Hussain, the president of the Community Based organization of Ganday Killay, Pewar, said the community walked 2500 feet from the village to a spring to fetch water which was a great burden on women and children.

Reintegration and Rehabilitation of TDP’s in newly merged districts, the project is being implemented in Kurram, Khyber, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan districts.

Up to 240 community physical infrastructure schemes would be completed in the aforementioned districts.

Over 3,400 community members would be trained in different skills to enhance their means of livelihood to improve the socioeconomic situation of the recently returned TDPs of these districts.