Drinking Water Supply Scheme in District Swat

Muhammad Zamin, member of MCO Maingha Falahi Tanzeem speaks about the water supply scheme

he completed with his community organization through technical and financial support of PEACE.

‘Prior to receiving assistance from SRSP, our lives were a constant struggle. All the pipes had been

blocked due to the presence of zinc, the water tank was contaminated and regular access to water felt

no less than a distant dream that seemed unachievable. Thanks to the guidance provided by SRSP and

funding provided by the EU. Our children and women are happy now as they no longer have to fetch

water for drinking and domestic use. Even we have access to safe water now. Our children and women

are happy as they longer have to fetch water from far away water sources’.

A Rural Success Story- Access to Clean Drinking Water

Achieving a sustainable and safe water supply has been an ongoing challenge in rural parts of Pakistan and the problems that rural communities face with regards to access to clean

water are so wide-ranging that one struggles to find a success story in most parts of the country. The village of Minagah

situated 25 km from Batkhela in Union Council Pir Khel boost of such success story that shows us a lot can be done socially and collectively, to ensure easy and sustainable access to clean

water.

The village consists of 87 households. Majority of the

people are dependent on agriculture or are daily-wage earners. Only a few people have permanent jobs. Although a drinking water supply scheme to the village had been

initiated in 1994 by a member of the National Assembly, the scheme had not been functional since 2010 when the

main line was damage by a land slide. This caused zinc to contaminate the water supply. As the population of the village increased, not only was the water rendered suitable

for drinking and domestic use, it was also not enough to meet the needs of the locals.

When PEACE was initiated in the area, the villagers were organized into CO and VOs. Their capacity was built through exposure and managerial training events. The organizations identified

lack of access to clean water as a major obstacle in the way of their socio-economic uplift and passed a resolution for the provision of Drinking Water Supply Scheme (DWSS).

After an initial survey, SRSP approved the project and work was initiated through Minagah

Falahi Tanzeem (VO). The donor contributed Rs. 561,400 & while the community contributed Rs. 101,800.

‘Before the construction and rehabilitation of the DWSS people from the community would carry water over long distances with the help of donkeys and mules. We are thankful to the EU &

SRSP for providing assistance to our Community Organization which has enabled us to gain access to water at our door steps. Furthermore, our community has been mobilized and our

capacity enhanced through different capacity building activities, in operation & maintenance of schemes’. Mr. Aziz, Secretary CO Maingah Falahi Tanzeem.

Paving Way to a Better Future- Access to Clean Drinking Water

Time and again we have seen communities unleashing their untapped potential to solve local problems by organizing themselves. Gharib Abad in Union Council Totakan of district Malakand

is an example of one such community whose members have worked together for their welfare. Upon hearing that SRSP was working for the uplift of marginalized communities through PEACE, the people of

Gharib Abad approached SRSP and expressed their willingness to cooperate with the organization.

Under SRSPs guidance, a CO was formed consisting of 25 members who were committed to working together for the benefit of the community. The memebers were

briefed on the activities of the project by SRSPs staff and the capacity building of the CO was done through CMST

and LMST. The Community Organization prioritized the major problems faced by the locals and agreed that

shortage of water for drinking and domestic use was one of the most pressing problems that the community faced as a whole. The CO passed a resolution for the provision of a Drinking Water

Supply Scheme. In response to their request SRSP carried out a survey for the scheme and work was initiated in form of a joint venture with Gharib Abad Falahi Tanzeem (VO).

Out of a total cost of PKR 1,514,800, PKR 1,332,400 was paid by the donor while the community contributed PKR 182,400. This amounted to PKR 2,097 per household and PKR 280

per beneficiary. ‘Before the construction of this DWSS the flow of water was irregular. The community faced a

number of problems as a result of it, especially children and women, who had to carry water in heavy containers over long distances. Now these people have been saved from that fate and

water scarcity is a thing of the past’. Mr. Noman, member of the Gharib Adad Falahi

Tanzeem.

Over 80 households are now benefitting directly from the

DWSS. Community participation in the process has enabled greater efficiency in system performance;

improved cost-effectiveness; and provided better prospects for the long-term sustainability of the water supply system. The system has reduced the incidence of water-related

diseases and helped revive the flagging economy of the area by making it a more suitable locale for people to settle

in. The project allowed the members of the community to be directly involved in all phases of the project. They are part of the decision-making process, regard the project as their own, give it their support and continue to look after it. The community

is grateful to PEACE and the residents praised the activist of the CO for their collective efforts in this regard.

‘I remember just a few months back, there was a single tap near the polluted drain which was the only source of water in the vicinity. Women and children would wait for hours for their

containers to be filled. The installation of the DWSS has enabled such people to save precious time and energy as they now have regular access to clean water’- Secretary of the VO Mr. Zabih

Ullah Khan.

Walking for hours simply to get a glass of water?

The year was 1994. The residents of village Minagah, in the heart of the District Malakand, had a reason

to rejoice; a Member of the National Assembly had inaugurated a scheme to provide drinking water to

the villagers. Convinced that their most pressing issue had been resolved permanently, their joy knew

no bounds. In summer of 2010, a landslide damaged main pipeline causing zinc to contaminate water

supply, leading to an outbreak of water borne diseases. For next couple of years, locals continued to live

in misery as scheme remained dysfunctional. Women would spend many hours a day collecting water,

often carrying it from distant wells or waiting for it near public taps, uncertain when and if the water

would come. When PEACE intervened in this area, Community members identified and prioritized

provision of clean drinking water. The water supply schemes was completed with an amount of PKR

660,000 and residents of Minagah finally have a reason to celebrate again. A total of 87 households

residing in the village now have easy access to clean drinking water. Along with availability, the quality

of water has also improved and the incidence of diarrhea and dysentery has been reduced. Women

have gained most from the scheme, as they now have the opportunity to spend their spare time in

supplementing their household income.

Case Study on Lowari Shelter House Chitral- Addressing Community Needs

“After entering the waiting room, I felt as if I was to board an international flight from one of the main

airports of the country. There were separate sitting rooms for women and men, with clean and neat

washrooms. The passengers have also been provided

with proper praying place. There is also a canteen to

take food and tea from. Everyone I spoke to in the

waiting room was thankful to those who have provided

the facilities and those who are managing it now. It was

also heartening to see a doctor from the Tehsil

headquarters hospital Drosh on duty there along with

necessary medicines and an ambulance. The doctor

remains on duty at the site from the opening of the

tunnel to its closure to traffic.” These are the reflections

of a passenger who was waiting for the opening of

Lowari Tunnel on his way to Peshawar from Chitral. He had stopped at the Waiting Room (Shelter

House), constructed by SRSP with financial assistance from European Union’s Programme for Economic

Advancement and Community Empowerment (PEACE).

Case Study on RCC Bridge Rokhan Dir Upper

Village: Rokhan District: Dir Upper CPI Type: RCC Bridge (length 35 feet and width 15 feet) Total Cost: PKR 1.165 million (1.055 EU & 0.11 community share) Beneficiary Household: 1,205 Start up and Completion dates: 10-01-2013 and 18-02-2014

Before During Post Completion Immediate effects

An easy access of population to Dir town for their day to day needs and basic services

School children access to their schools without any fear of being drowned in stream

especially in rainy season when water flow is at peak. The farmers have an easy access to local markets to sell their agricultural products. The bridge strengthening social cohesion amongst Rokhan Bala and Rokhan Payen, who

would be isolated especially when temporary bridge would be washed away by floods. Appreciation in cost of Land

Using Nature forces to Irrigate Barren Valleys; Revolution at the doorstep

Village Khairabad situated 40km away from Chitral

town falls under jurisdiction of UC Drosh 1 in

Chitral. The topography of village presents an

interesting picture. The low land is irrigated being

nearer to the river benefitting very few

households, whereas highlands are barren for

centuries due to acute shortage of irrigation

water. There had been few efforts in the past to

divert water from various sources but these

efforts had not been sustainable. To change the

fortune of locals, using forces of nature was one of the plausible solutions thus for the first time in

history of SRSP, Solar pump was used for lifting irrigation water from main chitral river. Taking water

upto 400ft due to this innovative technology would enable locals to irrigate 360 acres of barren land

benefitting over 600 population. Realizing importance of this innovative solution, people from outside

have starting buying land in this village. A visible appreciation in prices of land from PKR 150,000 to

400,000/kanal has been observed after completion of this scheme.

Link to Prosperity

Village Darra (UC Selai Pattai) is located at distance of two hours’ from Tehsil Head Quarter Batkhela,

District Malakand. Home to 68 households, members of this village formed 3 CBOs and then federated it

into a Village Organization named Rokhan Laar under PEACE Programme. Through platform of VO,

community members of village Darra identified and completed a link road in 6 months to connect this

village with main road and local markets. Sajid Khan, a local of the area shared that once isolated village

Darra, in Malakand district is now connected to Dargai and Batkhela markets and to school, college,

hospital and other modern facilities. Mr. Fazal Ameen, the Secretary of VO shared that “now it takes

only 7 minutes to travel from village Darra to main road, otherwise the same distance would be covered

in one hour. Due to low cost of transportation, irrigation department has constructed three irrigation

channels in the village to bring barren land under cultivation.

Impact of Irrigation Channel, Charbagh district Swat

Agriculture is mainstay of village Charbagh,

District Swat with population of 800

households/over 6,000 population. The area was

fed by an irrigation channel which was destroyed

during floods of 2010. Under PEACE, SRSP took

proactive steps in rehabilitating irrigation channel

with a total cost of PKR 4.4 million. The project

was completed in March, 2014 and has started

benefiting local producers. According to a post

completion study, farmers, as per tables

presented below, have reported an increase in

both yield (40%/acre) and net income (26%).

Table A: Planting Pattern and Crop Yield per acre before & after channel lining

S. No

Planting Pattern Yield/acre

Increase in Yield/acre Before Lining After Lining

1 Wheat 800 kg 1,200 kg 400 kg 2 Maize 560 kg 800 kg 240 kg 3 Rice 1,400 kg 1,800 kg 400 kg

Table B: Increase in annual income of farmers

S. No

Purchase Price per kg (Rs)

Annual net income of farmers (PKR) Increase in annual income (Rs)

Before Lining After Lining 1 Wheat 24,000/- 26,000/- 12,000/- 2 Maize 12,880/- 18,400/- 5,400/-

3 Rice 100,800/- 129,600/- 28,800/-

PEACE Bridge connecting people, District Dir

Lower

Vllage Tatar, home to 760 households, is situated

at a distance of 45 kilometer from main

Timargara city in union council Samarbagh.

During floods of 2010, the only bridge of village

that connected it with rest of country was

destroyed creating accessibility issues for the

locals. Under PEACE, the washed away bridge

was constructed with help of local communities in 4 months (Jan, 2014) with a cost of 2.9 million only.

The local community organization has formulated a maintenance committee responsible for

maintenance and repair of the bridge.

Education revived in Shahikot, District Dir

Shahihot in remote part of district Dir, had suffered

immensely from militancy and extremism. The school

was destroyed by militants in 2010. When EU PEACE was

initiated in the area, the Parent Teacher Association

(PTA) through concerned quarters approached the

programme to rehabilitate/reconstruct the boys primary

school. Within 8 months ( August, 2013-April, 2014) the

school has been rebuilt keeping highest standards.

Under close supervision of Armed forces, the school is

providing education services to 250 students.