[Note from GroundReport: This post appears to consist of two unrelated articles. We reocmmend splitting them into two different posts]
AICAC warned blocking of Shundoor road if work not resumed on the channel.
CHITRAL: An important meeting of Attatkh Irrigation Channel Action Committee (AICAC) was held at the office of Tehsil Municipal Administration under the chair of Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmad Khan, coordinator of the committee. The meeting was also attended by Executive Engineer Irrigation Aftab Ahmad, Sub Divisional officer M. Riaz, Nazim Union Council kosht Hameedur Rehman and other notable elites of the area. The members expressed great concern over surrendering of fund and stopping of work on the irrigation channel on the directive of Planning Commission Islamabad. The project is totally federal government funded scheme where more than 40 thousands of its beneficiaries. Sartaj Ahmad Khan said that this is the matter of life and death for 40000 populations of Tehsil Mulkoh and adjacent areas as the channel will irrigate 10000 Acre of land. He said that due to some anonymous letters addressed to Chief Minister of NWFP with some allegations that overpayment have done to the contractor by department staff and officers of irrigation department were suspended on the directive of Chief Minister. He thanked Secretary Irrigation Department for assuring of allocation of more fund for the project.
Other members of the committee complained that work was stopped incomplete and they put all responsibilities on irrigation department that if the Consultant staff were not technical whey they were deployed. While the department was on the opinion that consultant staffs are non technical, non professional and irrelevant that is why their payment has been stopped for the last one year. They said that fund was surrendered on these complaints by unknown persons. The members warned by giving the deadline that if work on the channel was not started until 1st July they will blocked the Shundor road to confound the festival as a protest. They demanded from the irrigation department to deploy technical staff as consultant and make sure re-starting work on the channel. Meanwhile head of Mr. Consultant Major Riaz refused talking telephonically with Sartaj Ahmad Khan Coordinator of the committee to post any consultant staff until they were not paid by irrigation department. The members of the committee said that some 55 women set in hunger strike as protest demanding work on irrigation channel they warned once again if the work not started in stipulated period of deadline they will set in hunger strike once again. They said that a Mafia working against this channel to suspend work on the channel as a result thousands of people would be plunged and suffer from starvation. Tehsil Nazim directed XEN Irrigation department to assure resuming (restarting) work on the channel and to contact Secretary Irrigation for deploying of technical and qualified staff as consultant.
Former MPA Maulana M. Jihangir laid to rest.
CHITRAL: Former Member Provincial Assembly and leader of MMA Maulana Muhammad Jihangir was laid to rest at Singoor village. He was Amir of JUI Chitral district. The deceased was elected as MPA from PF-90 in Musharaf regime. He was died by cardiac arrest. Thousands of people belonging to all walk of life attended his funeral prayer.
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