TIMERGARA: Several tube-wells supplying drinking water to consumers in parts of Lower Dir have been converted to solar power.

This was stated by public health engineering department (PHED) engineers Wilayat Syed and Hazrat Mohammad while talking to reporters here on Sunday.

They said water supply scheme in Soghalay Qaziabad area of Talash had recently been put on solar power at a cost of Rs4.5 million. They said work on putting six more tube-wells on solar power was in progress.

The operator of the scheme, Gul Zada, said earlier it took eight hours to fill the water tank situated at a distance of four kilometres from the tube-well, but now it took only three hours to fulfill the needs of consumers of three villages. He said the water supply scheme often got disrupted due to electricity low voltage and prolonged outages.

PHED engineer Hazrat Mohammad said the department had to face pressure of Pesco as it always threatened to cut power supply in case of default.

He said a total of four water supply schemes in Lower Dir had been working on solar energy with improved service delivery and lesser cost. Meanwhile, the residents of Soghalay and Qaziabad Talash expressed pleasure over the conversion of their water supply scheme to solar energy. They said one of their main problems had been resolved.

PRAYERS FOR RAIN: The long dry spell in the region has prompted collective prayers for rain.

Lower Dir Nazim Mohammad Rasool Khan had on Friday last appealed to all government departments to offer prayers for rain. Collective prayers were offered in almost all government educational institutions on Friday and Saturday.

Due to the dry spell natural springs and wells have dried up. The drought like situation has also affected vegetable farms and fruit orchards.

Sources in the DHQ hospital told Dawn number of patients of allergy, chest and throat infections and skin disease had been rising with each day. Dr Khaista Rehman, a physician, asked the people to use masks, while going outside, especially in the morning and evening.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2017