PESHAWAR, May 20: The District Nazim Malakand Engineer Mohammad Humayun Khan inaugurated work on the Rs15 million water supply scheme at Batkhela here on Monday.

Tehsil Nazim Jamal Khan, director Works & Services Fazle Akbar Khan, XEN Fazle Kabeer, local Nazims and a large number of dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The scheme will be completed by March 2003 which would provide drinking water to the middle and lower Batkhela.

Funding for the schemes would be made available in three phases. In the first phase Rs3.6 million had been utilized and in the second phase a grant of Rs4 million was provided; remaining grant would be given after June.

Work on the project is being supervised by the Works & Services Department, Malakand.

Before formal inauguration of the scheme a grand function was arranged in which a large number of Nazims and councilors commended the project.

The speakers including Jamal Khan, Zakir Hussain advocate, Ihsan Khan advocate, Ihsanullah, Tariq Ali, Malik Sardaraz Khan and others thanked the district Nazim Humayun Khan for allocating funds for the scheme.

Speaking on the occasion Engineer Mohammad Humayun Khan said that by June 30 the scheme will start providing drinking water to the drought-stricken people of Batkhela.

He said that the devolution plan had enabled them to utilize district funds, and provincial grants would also be available from time to time.

He said by July this year degree colleges, one each for boys and girls, would start classes at Batkhela.—PPI