MNA warns of serious food shortages in Chitral

CHITRAL: Fearing a serious shortage of essentials in flood-hit and land-locked areas in the valley, Member National Assembly Iftikharuddin on Sunday asked the government to install steel bridges in the areas to avoid famine-like situation.
Talking to The News by phone, he said that there was horrific flour and food crisis situation rapidly emerging at Shoghore, Basti, Arkari valley in Garam Chashma tehsil; Reshun, Khot, Ujnu and Rech villages in Torkhow tehsil and Muzhgol, Kosht Saht in Mulkhow tehsil; Yarkhun and Laspur valleys as well as in three Kalash valleys.
The people at Muzgol and Kosht, Oveer, Lone in Mulkhow villages besides Shoghore, Karimabad and Arkari valleys need steel bridges to avert a major disaster due to emerging shortage of food particularly flour owing to dysfunctional flour mills, he added
“I fear the situation will get out of control if the steel bridges were not arranged. Steel Bridges will help people to reach markets to by essentials. I appeal to the prime ministers and chief minister to take emergency measures to cope with the crisis,” he said.
He asked the chief minister to take practical steps for restoration of Reshun Hydel Power station that PEDO Officials said would take two years to be restored besides costing a whopping Rs. 1.5 billion.
The MNA also appealed to the ambassador of the European Union (EU) to help build at least 3MW power project for Mastuj Sub-Division and 1 MW each for Garam Chashma and Drosh as recent floods have destroyed many micro-Hydel projects in Chitral.