Basic amenities: Eagerly awaited water scheme to overcome shortage, says minister

The minister said that Rs500 million would be used to make all the tube wells of Abbottabad solar powered.

ABBOTABAD:

Minister for Information and Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani on Friday said a ‘sovereign authority’ would be established to run the Abbottabad Gravity Flow Water Supply Scheme to overcome the shortage in Abbottabad.

Addressing a news conference in the city, Ghani said that the scheme’s pilot project would be launched in four districts.

“The rivalry between K-P’s Public Health Engineering Department and the Abbottabad Tehsil Municipal Administration is causing water supply issues for the people,” said the minister, adding a sovereign authority could solve all such issues.

Ghani revealed Rs520 million would be spent on the project to improve water sources and maintain a steady and clean supply, while filtration tanks would also be installed.

The minister added that Rs500 million would be used to make all the tube wells of Abbottabad solar powered. He said that the hiring for the governing authority had begun and security would be deployed at all the major water tanks.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2014.