Swiss Ambassador inaugurated 800 KV hydro power house of AKRSP at Yarkhun valley - by Gul Hamaad Farooqi
By: Gul Hamaad Farooqi
CHITRAL: 800 KV micro hydro power house was completed by Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) with a cost of 194 million rupees of 10 million of community share and 19 million by AKRSP. The power house was completed with the financial support of SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) a Switzerland based donor agency. Ambassador of Switzerland Mr. Thomas Kolly was chief guest on the occasion who inaugurated the newly completed power house by cutting the ribbon. On this occasion his wife, Deputy country head of SDC Mr. Deniel Angeloguseppe, Miss Sana Omar senior program officer of SDC, Muzafarud Din General Manager of AKRSP, Akhtar Iqbal Chief Executive officer of Aga Khan Foundation, Sherzad Ali Haider of AKDN, Eng Sardar Ayub Regional Program Manager AKRSP were also present.
Swiss Ambassador and SDC team also visited (inspected) the newly established power house whose were briefed regarding the function of the power house. Miss Najma Sales officer briefed the delegation that this is the ever first modern power house which running with prepaid digital meter in which the consumer load balance and they get electricity at the rate of rupees 4 per unit. When their balance in card finished power supply stop. Local people also presented traditional Chitrali and Hunza Caps as a gift to their guests.
Prominent educationist and president of the local society Sher Wali Khan Aseer in his welcome address said that this is a remote area where there are no opportunities of employment, or earning livelihood. Hence residents of the area go to out districts for hardworking and the women folk working on handicraft at their home but they need a proper vocational and skill development center. He also demanded for more support from SDC and Swiss government to supply electricity to local consumer on subsidize rate so as to enabling them to use electric appliances, and to establish a cool store for keeping fruit and vegetable in cool store to save them from decomposing.
Addressing on the occasion chief guest Mr. Thomas Kolly highly hailed local people for their hardworking, hospitality, and peace loving and most discipline people of the country. He said that this is the first stair of their development and this power house will bring positive changes in their socio economics condition and daily life.
Other guests of AKF, AKDN and AKRSP also stressed upon the local people to work hard and keep their unity and must involve their women in development processes. At last local artists also presented folk music to the guests. Talking to this scribe Thomas Kolly said that these very hardworking people who success this power house of Swiss Fund. He said that after visiting of Yarkhun valley he consider himself Ambassador of Chitral too instead of Switzerland because me very much impressed by these people. He while conveying his message to world tourists he invites them to must come here and enjoy this paradise on the earth and its peaceful environment. A large number of people including women folk participated in the opening ceremony of power house and they jubilating it on this occasion of happiness because it will bring light in their lives. Zaheeruddin Nazim of Bhang village council said that this power house will bring changes in their lives especially for students of the area.
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