CHITRAL: The Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) has completed a water supply scheme at a cost of Rs2.3 million, benefiting at least 400 households of Orghoch village.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, villagers, including Mohammad Wali Shah, Qazi Naeem, Mohammad Ilyas and others praised the SRSP for completing the project. The villagers said that they had started work on the scheme on self-help basis, but abandoned it halfway for want of funds.

The villagers said that the SRSP provided pipes, other related material and technical assistance to complete the project. They said that women folk had to travel two kilometers away from the village to fetch water for domestic use, while thousands of acres of land remained uncultivated due to water unavailability.

The villagers said that water supply scheme would also help provide water for agriculture purpose which will bring prosperity to the previously neglected village.

Speaking on the occasion, SRSP Chitral district project manager Tariq Ahmed said that provision of basic amenities to people had been the priority of his organisation.

He said that project would be strengthened in due course by maximising water discharge for irrigation purpose.

The villagers, including women and children, expressed jubilation over completion of the water supply scheme.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2014