LANDI KOTAL: Contrary to official claims about initiating a number of development schemes in Tirah valley, residents of the region are faced with a host of problems ranging from shortage of water to poor communication and lack of health and education facilities.

Residents of Bagh Maidan Markaz, the only business centre in the valley, told this correspondent by mobile phone that landline telephone service was disconnected for the last two months while mobile phone signals too were very weak.

Said Karim, a mobile caller from the region, told this scribe that he had to scale a hilltop near his house in Khujalkhel, about one and a half kilometres from Bagh Maidan Markaz to use his mobile and that too with broken signals.

People complain about shortage of water, health and education facilities

He said that people were finding it difficult to communicate with their relatives in other cities of the country or abroad. “Mobile phone service to parts of the valley was started only a few months ago while the landline phone service was monitored by the security forces,” he said, adding that the landline phones were silent for over two months.

Mr Karim said that residents of most of the localities in the valley were facing acute shortage of water despite having natural springs in abundance. “My wife and daughter travel two kilometres from one side to fetch water in pitchers and buckets from a natural spring three to four times a day as no proper water supply schemes exists in the area,” he lamented. His concern was seconded by Ali Akbar, another resident of Bagh Maidan who suggested that if proper water storages were constructed they would then have water in abundance at their homes.

The political administration had in 2016 announced to build 27 new government schools in Tirah and construction on a number of these schools was started the same year, but the process continued at a snail’s pace due to lack of interest by government contractors and difficulties in harsh winter weather.

Mr Karim said that two such schools were almost completed in Khujalkhel village, but the education department was unwilling to approve the buildings due to poor construction. He demanded of the political administration to inspect the school buildings and award punishment to the contractor if these were found faulty.

Tirah residents, however, expressed satisfaction over the leniency now shown to them at the security checkposts along the recently-opened 110-kilometer Sheen Kamar-Bagh Maidan road.

They said that travel time from earlier six hours had now dropped to only three hours as they were no more stopped and searched at the checkposts unnecessarily.

Saadullah Khan, a local resident, argued that they were expecting a drop in prices after the opening of the new road, but the shopkeepers were still charging them high prices.

He demanded of the administration to form a price control committee at the local market to provide relief to the local residents.

He also demanded provision of better health facilities at the only government hospital located on a hilltop in Bagh Maidan.

The political administration had announced construction of a hospital in the valley in 2016, but the project could not be started as yet.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2018