CHITRAL: Residents of Koh, Charun and Mastuj union councils have demanded of the National Highway Authority (NHA) to include vital culverts in the design of Chitral-Shandur road project to ensure irrigation water flow to the areas along the under-construction road.

Talking to local journalists at Chitral Press Club led by the district president of PML-N, Abdul Wali Khan advocate and others here on Sunday, they lamented that due to the shortage of water to the various areas of villages from Kari to Booni, the cereal crops including vegetables and fruit orchards had started withering away.

They said that the NHA officials were approached in this regard right from the beginning of construction work on the road three years ago to address the issue but they didn’t pay any attention to their complaints.

“The negligence of the NHA officials has now created a major issue for the dwellers on the left bank of the road, as they are unable to dig or break the road to allow irrigation water to pass through it, which could have been directed beneath the road through a culvert structure,” they slammed.

Abdul Wali Khan added that the road had been aligned in such a way that it passed through the centres of the villages of Kari, Raagh, Koghuzi, Mori Lasht, Mroi, Barenis, Reshun, Kuragh and Parwak. They warned that the situation would become much problematic if culverts were not provided at the necessary points in these villages.

The version of the NHA’s project director for Chitral-Shandur road couldn’t be obtained despite repeated attempts by Dawn as his cell phone was inaccessible.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...
Anti-women state
Updated 25 Nov, 2024

Anti-women state

GLOBALLY, women are tormented by the worst tools of exploitation: rape, sexual abuse, GBV, IPV, and more are among...
IT sector concerns
25 Nov, 2024

IT sector concerns

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ambitious plan to increase Pakistan’s IT exports from $3.2bn to $25bn in the ...
Israel’s war crimes
25 Nov, 2024

Israel’s war crimes

WHILE some powerful states are shielding Israel from censure, the court of global opinion is quite clear: there is...