21 community-driven water projects launched in 3 tribal dists

PESHAWAR: Twenty-one community-driven water projects were launched in Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan tribal districts in the first week of November.

The Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) under the auspices of its European Union (EU)-funded and KFW-financed “Aid to Uprooted People in Pakistan” project, held ground-breaking ceremonies at three different sites.

The water supply schemes would not only cater to the drinking water needs of the local communities but would also address their hygiene and sanitation concerns. An official of the SRSP said the schemes would be completed within the next six months at Rs79.5 million and would benefit 3,150 households in the three merged districts.

Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Syed Ghazan Jamal, Kalam Khan, Deputy Commissioner North Waziristan Manzoor Afridi and Deputy Commissioner South Waziristan Hameedullah Khan performed the ground-breaking of the projects in their respective areas. Addressing the gatherings, the chief guests appreciated the SRSP’s community-oriented approach to development in the merged districts. They also lauded the efforts of the communities in supporting and owning the uplift projects being implemented in their areas. MPA Syed Ghazan Jamal in his keynote address in Orakzai appreciated the efforts of SRSP in reaching out the most vulnerable communities in the merged districts.

He also appreciated the working model of SRSP and said: “It ensures the sustainability of the schemes through the communities”.

“Both the federal and provincial governments are committed to the socioeconomic development of the regions,” he said, adding that the role of implementing partners and the communities was commendable in realising this dream.

Addressing the community in the Jirga Hall, South Waziristan Deputy Commissioner Hameedullah Khan emphasised on the role of communities in revitalising their socioeconomic situation. “The government will make all-out efforts and use the available resources to support donors and implementing partners in executing development projects in South Waziristan,” he added.

“Community-driven approach of the SRSP has not only helped in identifying the basic needs of marginalised communities of North Waziristan but it has also helped them in addressing the issues,” said Mir Kalam Khan, MPA from North Waziristan. Arifullah, a community elder in North Waziristan, said: “This is the first time that our village has seen a renewable energy-driven scheme and the entire village is determined to sustain it because of the hardships that they have endured in the past in obtaining clean water for daily use.” An official said that about 61 drinking water supply schemes worth Rs211 million had been implemented in the five merged districts.

These include seven schemes in Khyber, eight in Kurram, 21 in South Waziristan, 18 in North Waziristan and eight in Orakzai. He said the schemes would benefit 7,519 households in the target villages with ready access to clean drinking water in their households.