MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 4: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir premier, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, on Friday directed the planning and development department to find alternate sources to overcome the growing problem of water scarcity in different areas of the AJK.

According to a handout, he said people of the state were facing the water shortage mainly owing to a long dry spell, and media reports were also suggesting that the problem had taken alarming proportions.

“I have been told that our mothers and sisters have to fetch water from far away places. This is a very painful situation, and the government cannot tolerate and overlook it,” he said.

The premier said the affluent and influential class could manage to obtain water by one or the other way, but the commoner, who had brought the Muslim Conference in power, were facing the shortage of water. The government was bound to mitigate their sufferings, he said.

He, urging the planning and development department officials to find other sources of water, said: “You should not worry about funds as I will provide money for the purpose, and if need be, the funds can be deducted from other projects for this very important task,” he .

According to a separate handout, the premier has approved provision of Rs45 million to set up a water supply scheme for the town of Hajira in Poonch district.