ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: The government of Japan under its “grassroots assistance” scheme has granted over $123,641 (about Rs7.1 million) to two community projects in Northern Areas, an embassy press release said here on Thursday.

The assistance have been given for rehabilitation and improvement of historic settlements and providing basic hygienic facilities to the habitants of some 12 villages in Hunza and Baltistan, the release said.

The contract of the first grant of $60,749 (about Rs3.5 million) was handed over by the minister, Japanese embassy, Hiroshi Azuma to Wajidullah Baig, an eminent social worker and president of the Town Management Society — a community-based organization — at a ceremony in Karimabad on Thursday for the “Integrated Improvement of Giram Ganish”, a historic settlement in Hunza.

Under the project three water ponds and three public washrooms will be rehabilitated and streets will also be paved.

The TMS had also been provided $597,890 for the “Karimabad Environmental Sanitation Project”, which is the largest grant to any project funded under the GRA programme in Pakistan since its inception in 1989.

The project aimed at construction of sanitation system in the hilly settlements of Karimabad and Ganish, including 11 villages around these habitats. On completion this project will improve the overall social and physical environment and create better health, hygiene and sanitary conditions for more than 10,000 inhabitants of the area, and promote tourism through protection of unique heritage.

The second grant of $62,892 (about Rs3.6m) has been given for the “Integrated Upgradation and Rehabilitation of Banpy” project at Khaplu in Baltistan.

The grant contract was handed over by Hiroshi Azuma to Salman Beg, chief executive officer of The Aga Khan Cultural Services at a ceremony in Khaplu on Wednesday.

The project aims to improve the hygienic conditions of the residents, women and children in particular, in Banpy settlement by providing washing areas, bathhouses and public latrines.

With this assistance, there will be proper facilities for women to wash clothes, and take bath so that open water streams will no longer be used for washing and bathing.

The old features of a historic bazaar consisting of about 20 shops that is now rather decrepit will be restored with a view to attracting tourists in the area. In so doing, local materials and traditional methods will be applied for construction, which will help preserve the local heritage. The value of this project will be measured by the changes it helps make in the lives of 45 households with a population of over 450 in the settlement.

Earlier in February this year an amount of $51,359 was also provided under the GRA scheme for integrated upgradation of another historic settlement at Hundily, Khaplu. The project aimed at construction of community washing areas, bathhouses and public latrines for residents of the settlement.