KfW Funded Drinking Water Project inaugurated in Lone Chitral

Chitral: A long-felt desire of the people of village Lone Markha in Chitral became a reality today with the inauguration of a safe drinking water supply and sanitation scheme in their community. The scheme was inaugurated by Dr. Ann-Christine Janke, Director KfW in Pakistan and Mr. Ferdinand Jenrich, 3rd Secretary German Embassy. Speaking on the occasion, Dr, Ann-Christine appreciated the role of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for its role in the development of Northern and Chitral. She also appreciated the beneficiary community which completed the scheme in harsh winter. She said that the availability of safe drinking water would decrease the water borne diseases in the community, particularly among women and children.

Talking to a big gathering of women and men from the community, Mr. Ferdinand said that the German government would extend its progrmme in future. He urged the community to maintain the clean drinking water project, so that they could benefit from it continuously.  The Chairman of Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan, Mr. Hafiz Sher Ali thanked the German Government and funding agency, KfW for providing funds for drinking water projects in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. He also appreciated the role of the community in completion of the scheme in time. Among others who attended the inauguration ceremony were, Dr. Karim Pervaiz from KfW, Mr. Karim Nayani and Mr. Ahsan Paracha from Aga Khan Foundation, Pakistan, Mr. Hadi Husani Programme Director, Javaid Ahmed, Raja Safdarand Yasmin Ansa from KfW project

Lone Markha, located at an altitude of more than 8000 ft above sea-level, is one of the remote villages of Chitral. The water scheme constructed here is part of the many initiatives planned under the Water and Sanitation Extension Programme being implemented in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral region of northern Pakistan. This Programme, which will provide safe water and sanitation to more than 100,000 people in 150 villages, is being implemented by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan, with financial assistance from the KfW Development Bank of Germany.

The newly launched scheme in Lone Markha Upper Chitral completed at the cost of Rs. 7.98 million will provide safe drinking water and latrine facilities to more than 600 people in 76 households of the village. The project will play an important role in improving the overall health conditions of the region and especially safeguarding the health of the women and children by reducing the incidence of diarrhea and other waterborne diseases that are a major impediment to human development in rural Pakistan. The village members contributed local construction material and labour for building the scheme in difficult terrain and weather conditions. The village also contributed more than Rs. 200,000 for the operation, maintenance and repair of the scheme.  (CN report 06 Apr 2011)