MANSEHRA: Irrigation minister Arshad Ayub on Tuesday inaugurated the Kotkay small hydropower project after the completion of work at the cost of over Rs2 billion.

“Not only will this initiative generate power but it will irrigate large tracts of barren land as well,” the minister told the inauguration ceremony here.

He said for the first time, the provincial government produced electricity to meet the province’s demand and reduce the country’s energy shortfall.

The minister said the district had irrigation challenges in some areas but its lands were mostly barren or rain-fed.

He said the project would help improve the life of growers.

Mr Ayub said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf would form the next provincial government as well after the imminent assembly dissolution.

Minister says initiative to produce electricity, irrigate land

SECURITY FOR VACCINATORS: Deputy Inspector General of the Hazara police Zeeshan Asghar on Tuesday said the police had made foolproof security arrangements for anti-polio teams across the division.

“You [vaccinators] are waging a war against polio, so we [police] won’t make any compromise on your security,” the DIG told members of polio teams during a visit to different areas.

Mr Asghar met polio workers and lauded their efforts for protecting children from the vaccine-preventable disease.

“We have deployed over 1,700 police officials to provide foolproof security to polio workers,” he said.

The DIG said the entry and exit points of those areas had been sealed for the five-day anti-polio drive and their number would be increased if the need arose.

He also met parents and urged them to ensure vaccination of their children against polio for their and other children’s protection from the disease.

TWO KILLED: Two people were killed in separate incidents in Oghi tehsil here on Tuesday.

DSP Javed Khan told reporters that a mud-house collapsed in Malookra area of Oghi killing a woman. He said other members of the family were safe.

The DSP said the incident occurred as the house had developed cracks in the recent heavy rains.

Also in the day, resident Mohammad Safeer committed suicide after attacking his wife with a dagger over a domestic issue.

The police said the body was found hanging from a tree.

They said Mr Safeer ended his life after causing serious injuries to his wife after a quarrel.

The police said the body was handed over to the family after undergoing postmortem at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

They said they had begun an investigation into the death after registering a case.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2023