PESHAWAR, Aug 17: The NWFP government has allowed the district governments to construct powerhouses of up to five megawatts generation capacity.

It has directed the SHYDO to not only extend full technical assistance in this connection, but also to initiate legislative measures to empower itself to regulate the generation and distribution system in the province.

Decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting, held on Friday with the NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah in the chair.

The meeting also reviewed a number of potential sites that exist, especially in the southern districts, to construct small dams. Lack of technical studies has made the government handicapped to take practical initiatives, despite having sufficient resources at its disposal.

It was decided to create a small unit of experts, including geologists, to identify the potential sites as well as carry out technical studies.

The meeting also decided to involve the district governments in the repairs and maintenance as well as reconstruction of the civil canals and water channels in the province but the irrigation department would continue to extend technical and expert advice.

Besides, the irrigation department would also continue not only as the sole protector of water resources but would also be responsible for the repairs, maintenance and improvement of the canal system.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Minister for Works & Services, Shams-ul-Mulk, Chief Secretary, Shakil Durrani, Additional Chief Secretary, Jehangir Bashar, Secretary Finance, Zia-ur-Rehman, Secretary Irrigation, Fazal Abbas Mehken, Secretary Local Government, Baz Muhammad Khattak, Secretary Law, Saleem Khan and Managing Director SHYDO, Muhammad Younas Marwat.

LOWARI TUNNEL: The NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that the government is very much serious in the construction of Lowari Tunnel and it has already allocated more than Rs70 million for this gigantic project in the current budget.

Talking to a 12-member delegation of Tanzeem-e-Tahafuz-e- Haqooq Chitral, which called on him under the leadership of Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali at the Governor’s House here on Friday, Mr Shah said hectic efforts were under way to generate financial resources for this vital project.