MANSEHRA: The people of Nawasher village have complained they lack basic amenities of life.

The village, which is situated on the bank of the Siren River in Mansehra district, attracts migratory birds from Central Asia and Europe during the winter season in large numbers.

“The village is populated by more than 5,000 households but it is without basic facilities like drinking water, natural gas, streets and roads,” councillor-elect Ishtiaq Ahmad Tanoli told Dawn on Tuesday.

The 1993 flashfloods had wrecked havoc on Nawasher by destroying its infrastructure and main bridge.

In the days ahead, the provincial government installed a wooden bridge over the Siren River to link the village with Mansehra and other parts of district but has yet to rebuild the concrete bridge.

“The wooden bridge situated in Jabba area is highly dangerous and can cause a big human tragedy if the concrete bridge is not rebuilt without delay,” he said.

Tanoli said motorists had no choice but to use the wooden bridge though the act was highly dangerous due to the bridge’s dilapidated condition.

He said local elders had taken up the matter with administration and lawmakers many times for corrective measures, but to no avail.

The councillor-elect said the village was surrounded by forests, whose wood was used by local population as firewood in absence of gas supply.

He also complained a local road, which linked Mansehra to other parts of the district by wooden bridges, was also in bad shape.

Villager Mohammad Faisal said migratory birds from Central Asia and Europe came to the area around the Siren River during the winter season.

He said the PTI government, which claimed to be working for protection of forests in the province, should ensure provision of basic amenities especially natural gas in the village to preserve local forests.

The villager said local population had no supply of safe drinking water.

THREE DIE: Three people, including two brothers, died of suffocation while cleaning a well in Parhanna area of Mansehra district on Tuesday.

The local people said the deaths were caused by the poisonous gas produced after electric generator pumped water out of the well.

They said the two men, who went down the well to pull out the bodies of Abdul Qayyum, brother Bannat Khan and nephew Deendar, were also fell unconcious. The two were later taken to a nearby hospital, where their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Published in Dawn ,July 15th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play