SWABI: The local governments here have failed to provide potable water to the people in Swabi district and majority of them rely on their own water sources for daily consumption, according to a survey conducted by non-governmental organisations.

The survey was conducted by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), an Islamabad-based research organisation, under the Democratic Local Governance for Development in Pakistan project. The Citizen Report Card (CRC), District Interest Group of Swabi and Samaji Behbood Rabita Council (SBRC) also played their role in the survey conducted in several areas of Swabi for the first time.

CRC is a research tool to collect feedback of citizens about use and availability of the public services while measuring their satisfaction on quality and access to facilities provided by public departments to the people.

Representatives of the NGOs told this correspondent that the project was aimed to know about the provision of potable water to the local citizens and the government’s future plan that how it would tackle the problem in future because water was a basic need of the people.

Says majority of residents rely on own water sources

One of the representatives said that excessive power loadshedding was one of the causes which prevented in time water supply to the citizens. The public health system needs to take practical steps for water provision to the people.

According to the survey findings, 89 per cent of the respondents have installed own water pumps at their residences, using them as main source of water. The remaining 11 per cent people depend on the public water supply, community dug wells and nearby canals and rivers.

The survey results show that those who use the public health system and other sources of water remain dissatisfied while demanding upgradation of the system according to their increasing needs.

They also complained about the quality and availability of water. A total of 72 per cent of the respondents were satisfied with water services they receive while 28 per cent showed their dissatisfaction.

ARRESTED: Police here have arrested two people identified as Amanullah and Yasir Khan against whom an FIR was registered by a teenager in alleged molesting case, said Zaida police SHO Sultan Mohammad. He said that the teenager had alleged that he was locked in a room and molested by the two there.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2018