CHITRAL: The residents of Panandeh Reshun area have started building a siphon irrigation system on self-help basis after getting disappointed with the authorities concerned to rehabilitate an irrigation channel washed away by flash floods in August last year.

The villagers said after having been disappointed by the government’s apathetic attitude they decided to contribute to purchase pipes and other material and channel water through pipes as they could not afford rehabilitating the entire irrigation channel.

Ali Nigah, a former councillor, said although water flowing through pipes would not meet their needs, it would be enough to keep their fruit orchards alive and cultivate vegetables for their domestic consumption.

He said the village was known for producing local varieties of rice and other cereals, but this year they would not be able to cultivate them due to water shortage.

Last year, he said the villagers suffered losses as their crops of rice and vegetables got destroyed by floods.

The former councillor regretted that their calls to the authorities for restoration of the irrigation system fell on deaf ears, forcing them to sell their valuables to launch work on self-help basis.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2021