PESHAWAR, June 22: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that the present government feels itself duty-bound to make every effort to develop every nook and corner of the province and it has been doing its level best to give preference to backward and neglected areas to bring them on a par with comparatively developed areas.

According to an official handout issued here on Saturday, the governor was talking to a 32-member delegation comprising Nazimeen and Naib Nazimeen from Wari Sub-Division of Upper Dir district which called on him under the leadership of District Nazim Sahibzada Tariqullah at the Governor’s House on Saturday morning.

“We have decided in principle to at least solve the grievances of the people of Dir district with regard to education, health and construction of roads during the ensuing financial year, starting from the month of July.” In fact, the Governor said areas like Dir had been receiving special priority in the development strategies of the present government.

He also reminded the members of the delegation that about Rs3 billion had been spent in the area since the launching of the campaign to eliminate poppy cultivation from the area. The governor made it clear that the government would never allow anyone to cultivate the crop at any cost as had been the case during the current year.

Referring to the difficulties being faced by the people because of the lack of staff, especially in the health and educational institutions, Mr Shah said that the departments concerned had already been directed to submit detail data especially concerning the provision of immediate requirements, and held out an assurance that at least all 38 vacant posts of doctors in the Dir district would be filled up shortly.

Similarly, he said efforts were under way to fully equip the district as well as the Teshil Headquarters Hospitals of Upper Dir and Wari respectively with adequate staff and equipment by next year.

About the establishment of a Degree College for Wari, the Governor promised to fulfil the demand if the required number of students were made available.

He also said that work on the development and improvement of Chakdara Timergara section of Chakdara Dir Road had already been started whereas the development of its Timergara-Dir section would be started during the coming financial year.

Earlier, Sahibzada Tariqullah, District Nazim, and other members of the delegation apprised the Governor about the problems of the people of their respective areas.