CHITRAL: The province’s first solar-powered irrigation scheme launched on experimental basis by Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) in Khairabad village near Drosh town here has proved to be a success as the river water gushed to the arid wasteland when the button of solar panel was switched on.

The scheme, financed by the Programme of Economic Advancement and Community Empowerment (Peace), has been designed to pump river water to an altitude of 360 feet in two stages where solar-powered water pumps have been installed.

The scheme was inaugurated here on Saturday at a function by SRSP chief executive officer Shahzada Masoodul Mulk. MNA Shahzada Iftikharuddin, MPA Sardar Hussain and civil society representatives were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mulk said that the people of Chitral district had been attaching great importance to this scheme, launched on experimental basis as the area was facing acute shortage of water both for irrigation and drinking.

He said that the Chitral river flowing across the valley from Baroghil to Arandu had such a topographic position that its water could not be channelised to irrigate the vast arid tracts of land.

“Success of the experiment has great importance for the people of the area as thousands of arid land can be irrigated by launching similar schemes,” he said.

He said that the solar-powered lift irrigation system would give uninterrupted water supply. Mr Iftikharuddin, Sardar Hussain and board member of SRSP termed the experiment a great achievement of the organisation.

They said that Chitral was a unique agro-ecological zone which had a great potential for production of a variety of fruits and vegetables, but acute shortage of irrigation water was a major obstacle in achieving this goal. The solar-powered system, they said, would now make it possible to exploit the potential to its full thereby bringing prosperity and raising the standard of life of people in the district.

The scheme was formally inaugurated by MNA Iftikharuddin who pressed the button of the solar panel to energise the pumps drawing water from the river.