UPPER DIR: Over 2,800 people of Pacha Kalay and Asharay villages in remote Hattan Dara area near the Afghan border have finally got electricity after a wait of 70 years as two micro hydropower stations were inaugurated here the other day. Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) has established the power houses.

Jamaat-i-Islami’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Sahibzada Tariqullah, KP senior minister Inayatullah Khan, and district nazim Fasihullah inaugurated the power houses.

The power houses have the capacity to generate115 kilowatt of electricity enough for the two villages.

The residents were happy when they witnessed electricity light in their area for the first time, congratulating each other and thanking the provincial government and two local NGOs for establishing the power houses.

The residents said they had been living without electricity supply since independence, but now their long wait had finally ended with the establishment of the two power houses.

On the occasion, the JI MNA and senior minister said the party’s elected representatives from the district had completed a number of development projects of roads, electricity, schools, and others.

Mr Inayatullah said that Pedo was working to establish 45 micro hydropower stations in Upper Dir, of which 35 had already been completed. He said a total of 4,000 kilowatt electricity would be generated from those stations.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2018