BATTAGRAM: A shutter down strike was observed in Battagram on Tuesday against a proposed water supply scheme from the local Nendyar River to Mansehra district.

The protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway for vehicular traffic for over two hours, pledging to not let the federal minister Sardar Mohammad Yousaf to materialise the project.

They said the scheme was not acceptable to the locals.

They accused the federal minister of taking the decision unilaterally to appease his voters in Mansehra.

District nazim Attaur Rehman Khan Trand, tehsil nazim Niaz Mohammad Khan Trand, member district council Moha-mmad Fayaz Khan Advocate, district Khateeb Maulana Abdul Haie, and others spoke to the protesters.

They alleged that the federal minister planned to construct a water supply scheme from Nendyar River to Mansehra which is the only source of water supply to Battagram district, meeting its domestic and agriculture needs.

They said the water from the river was used to irrigate fields of rice, wheat, maize and different vegetables, and by supplying its water to Mansehra would badly affect the agriculture sector of Battagram as water level would greatly decrease in the river.

The project seems a conspiracy to cause water scarcity in Battagram, the protesters feared.

They alleged that the political leaders and district administration were not taking any necessary action against the ‘illegal’ water supply scheme despite their many complaints.

The protesters warned that if the scheme was not shelved within a week, they would again come onto the roads.

They also announced a ban on entry of Sardar Yousaf into the Battagram district until the matter was resolved.

Published in Dawn October 20th, 2016