USAID to fund construction of irrigation channel

GILGIT, July 9: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided $141,659 million for construction of a 7km long irrigation channel in remote Dodoshote village in Gupis sub-division. Ms Karen Freeman, Deputy Director of USAID in Pakistan, told an interactive session with members of Dodoshote village organisation and media persons here on Sunday that initiatives were being taken to eradicate impoverishment in the region. The members of the village organisation apprised her of the lack of basic needs and requirements of the area. The USAID official said such interactions would help understand the public needs and to resolve them accordingly. The irrigation channel would irrigate a vast area of 6,000 kanals and would provide drinking water facility to 500 households. The project, the official said, was aimed at contributing to the overall economic development of the region. Mr Reid Miller Creedon, special assistant, and Ms Sarah R Creedon accompanied the deputy director of the USAID, who will visit a number of places to identify the needs of the community to help eradicate poverty. HOSPITAL WITHOUT FACILITIES: Patients coming from far-off areas of Diamer district are hit hard by lack of facilities at the district headquarters hospital Chilas. “Most wards of the hospital are without fans while fans of other wards have gone out of order,” regretted Khurshid Khan, who is attending to his ailing mother, while talking to this correspondent. The hospital also presents a squalid look as foul smell due to filth adds to the woes of the patients who develop skin and abdominal diseases. The attitude of the hospital staff is also deplorable. People also complained that the hospital did not provide them ambulance so they could take patients to private laboratories and X-ray outlets. “The hospital’s X-Ray unit is out of order for past one week and the lone machine functional presently doesn’t give satisfactory results as a result they have to avail the service privately no matter how much the cost,” complains Mohammad Esa, another attendant.]]>