TIMERGARA, Jan 9: The residents of Dir Lower are facing acute shortage of drinking water due to the on-going dry spell.

The water supply schemes and tubewells in the district have become non-functional as the underground water table has receded to a considerable degree in the recent days.

There are no alternate sources of water supply in these areas and the people have to fetch water for their daily use from distant wells and springs.

A Dawn survey revealed that most of the tubewells and water supply schemes established in these areas are out of order and no funds are available with the concerned department for repairs.

According to the locals, the water supply scheme of Ajoo Talash area is out of order for the last one year, while the tubewell of Kamangra Chino Talash is closed since October 2001.

They said some notables of the area had approached the public health department at Timergara to restore the water supply, but the officials took no action in this regard.

Similarly, the people of Ziarat, Kalpani, Soghalay, Bangai, Dherai and Shamshi Khan Talash are complaining about the shortage of drinking water in their villages.

They criticized the district government and Nazims of local union councils for paying less attention to solve the problem.