MINGORA, April 28: District Nazim Swat Dr Mehboobur Rehman has said that the district government has initiated construction of two grid stations at Khwazakhela and Madyan which will cost an estimated Rs200 million.

Speaking at a one-day labour conference here on Monday, he claimed that millions were being spent on development schemes in the district. A gas pipeline was being laid to the valley with an estimated cost of Rs400 million.

He said that Rs700 million were being spent every year on education, which is 70 per cent of the annual budget.

He said that some forty million rupees were being spent to purchase furniture for schools. He said that women teachers working in the far-flung areas were to be transferred near their residencies.

Replying to a questioner, he said that work on the reconstruction of the Kalam-Landaki road will start from May 1st.

Mr Rehman said that in Swat all elected representatives were properly given funds for developmental schemes. He said that law and order situation had also improved to a greater extent.

He refereed to problems being created here due to influx of Afghan refugees.

The EDO (education) Fazal Wadood, general secretary Malakand Union of Journalists, Syed Afzal Shah, coordinator of the Sungi Foundation Swat branch, Muhammad Khaliq Sagar, coordinator of the PILER project Zulfiqar Ali, Mukhtiar Ali, lady councillor Miss Amna, councillor Hazrat Bilal also spoke on the occasion.

They highlighted problems of labourers and stressed the importance of legislation for the working class, so that their rights could be reserved.