HARIPUR, March 29: The district governments of Haripur and Abbottabad have failed to resolve a row over the issue of diversion of water from river Dour under the gravity flow water supply scheme for Abbottabad.

Nazims and the district-level political leadership from Abbottabad are eager to see the project implemented by diverting water from river Dour while the farmers, MNAs and MPAs from Haripur were opposing the plan.

The previous district and tehsil councils and also the sitting ones had also criticised the decision by adopting unanimous resolutions against the scheme, and the members demanded shelving of project amid threats of serious repercussions and law and order.

President General Pervez Musharraf during his visit to Abbottabad in April 2002 had approved the gravity flow water supply scheme for the city.

According to construction plan, 7 cusecs of water of the 9 cusecs near Berran Gali Katha, some 10km from Abbottabad city, would be diverted for the proposed project.

The rive Dour is one of the water sources of Tarbela lake, which brings snow melt and water from natural springs from the hills of Bara Gali, Thandiani, Namli Maira, Bagnotar, and Berran Gali to Haripur and, according to Rawaj-i-Aabpashi (water accord) of 1906, which not only irrigates a vast stretch of farmland of 55 villages of 20 union councils of Haripur, but also supplements the under soil water source of the district.

The river irrigates 90 per cent area of the total 36,000 acres irrigated land, including orchards.