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GILGIT, Aug 21: Floods and lightening have damaged at least three houses, irrigation channels and a power house channel in Nomal village , 27km from here, on Friday that plunged the village into darkness for two days.
The residents said they had been facing shortage of water for drinking, maize crop and vegetables as the high floods in Naltar stream, which is the natural source of water supply of the village, had eroded embankments and filled up water channels with silt.
They said the floods and lightening also damaged standing crops and fruit tress and damaged another powerhouse in Kargah valley.
N. AREAS BUDGET: Northern Areas revenue, finance and education adviser Hafizur Rahman presented the budget for the year 2004-05 in the Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) on Friday.
The total outlay is Rs5.779 billion including foreign and federal government of Rs200 million, the NALC was told.
Mr Rahman said that of the total outlay Rs2.997 billion had been allocated for development projects and Rs2.782 billion had been earmarked for non-development projects.
Major allocation had been made for educational sector followed by the police department, while funds for the Khunjerab National Park had been slashed by six per cent.
The PPP NALC memeber, Syed Mehdi Shah, staged a walk out saying that the NALC had no power to prepare the budget and it was being presented at a time when the budget sessions throughout the country had concluded.
