UPPER DIR: More than 37 micro hydropower generators are being installed in Upper and Lower Dir by a non- governmental organisation in collaboration with European Union to control electricity crisis in the two districts.

Of the total 37 generators, 32 were being installed in Upper Dir and five in Lower Dir, said Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) regional monitoring and evaluation officer Fayyaz Ahmad Noor.

He was briefing the participants of the inaugural ceremony of 80KV hydropower generator at Adilo, Tarpatar, Usheri Darra in Upper Dir. He said that nine of the generators were already installed. Seven generators were installed in Upper Dir and two in Lower Dir, he added.

The project was inaugurated by Martyn Wright, the judge of international monitoring organisation Ashand, and SRSP regional programme manager Noor Ajab Khan.

The projects being executed by an NGO with help of European Union will ease electricity crisis in the two districts

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Wright said that Ashand was an international NGO that was monitoring work on projects in micro hydro power sector. It was working in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries, he added.

Mr Wright said that Upper Dir and Malakand division were rich with water resources and a lot of electricity could be generated from those resources. The power crisis could be ended in Pakistan by proper utilisation of those resources, he added.

Mr Wright appreciated SRSP for its quality work to produce electricity.

Speaking on the occasion, Noor Ajab said that SRSP started the programme to install hydro generators to help in reducing power crisis in Upper and Lower Dir districts. He said that European Union funded the hydropower projects in Malakand division.

He said that 280 kilowatts electricity was generated through the seven completed projects in Nusrat Dara, Shahikot, Adilo, Junkai and others areas in Upper Dir while 80 kilowatts electricity was produced in Lajbok Dara in Lower Dir.

Mr Ajab said that work on installation of other generators would be completed soon.

He said that thousands of families in Upper and Lower Dir were being benefited from the projects.

Mr Ajab said that SRSP was awarded by Ashand for its best performance in hydropower sector in Malakand. SRSP chief executive officer Masudul Mulk received the award the other day at a ceremony in London, he added.

Malak Waris Khan, former nazim of Tarpatrar, thanked Martyn Wright and SRSP for resolving the chronic issue of the area.

Niamatullah, a resident of the area, said that children of the area would go to school wearing pressed clothes after installation of power generator.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2015

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