CHITRAL, May 12: US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca visited the Charun village of upper Chitral here on Wednesday and inaugurated a Rs4.2 million water project there.

Accompanied by US Ambassador to Pakistan Nancy J. Powel, Ms Rocca also handed over a cheque of the first instalment to the community on behalf of USAID. The USAID has contributed Rs2.7 million for the project, while the rest of the amount is contributed by different government organizations and private entrepreneurs.

The project will help bring additional water to Charun village from the river Mastuj to overcome water shortage. The project is being executed with the help of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).

Addressing a gathering on this occasion, Ms Rocca appreciated efforts of the Pakistan government which she said was committed to a devolution programme to improve the quality of governance in the country.

"Our government will assist in this process because planning at grassroots level always helpe solve the problems of the people," she said. She also appreciated the people of Chitral for initiating projects a self-help basis.

Both male and female members of local communities, the officials of district government, staff of Sarhad Rural Support Programme and the elders of the area, the head of USAID in Pakistan and the US Consul in Peshawar were also present on the occasion.

District Nazim Shahzada Mohyiuddin, while speaking on the occasion, said that Chitral was a far-flung district sharing a very long border with Afghanistan. He said it remained cut off from the rest of Pakistan for six months in winter and was also a potential poppy growing area.

The district nazim called for simplifying rules and procedures of government and making them people-friendly so that communities could be involved in the development process and develop a sense of ownership for it. "The fruits of devolution will not reach the people if this was not done," he cautioned.

SRSP chief executive officer Masoodul Mulk said that the first project of this kind had been launched in Rehankote in Dir last week. He said that under the project different tiers of the district government could apply to the provincial steering committee comprising representatives of district nazims, businessmen and members of civil society for new projects.