HUNZA, July 2: A safe drinking water supply and sewerage project was inaugurated in Rahimabad-Aliabad in Gilgit-Baltistan. The project was opened by Wazir Baig, the speaker of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, and Mr. Michael Sumser, senior project manager, and Edgert Firmenich from KfW German Development Bank. Supported by the German government through the Foreign Office, the project was administered by the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan and executed by the Aga Khan Planning and Building Service, Pakistan (APKBS,P). The project was the result of a unique public-private partnership between the AKDN, the government of Gilgit-Baltistan and the local community of Rahimabad-Aliabad. The first phase of the project provides safe drinking water and an integrated sewerage system to 321 households (more than 2200 people). The project aims to particularly address the challenges posed by a growing population, sub-urbanization and lack of proper waste management systems which have been posing serious problems to the local environment. The water supply and sewerage schemes have been developed to limit the impact to the environment and to ensure long term sustainability while overcoming the greater challenges of water scarcity, high incidences of waterborne disease and to bring disparate communities closer together. Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Michael Sumser expressed his gratitude to the Aliabad community and said, “I am absolutely overwhelmed by the warm reception given by the community of Aliabad. I appreciate and admire the active participation and commitment that the community has demonstrated during the course of the project. With the completion of phase-I and the beginning of the second phase of the project, the responsibility of maintaining and sustaining the schemes lies upon your shoulders. I urge you to pass on these schemes as a present to your generations – a present for a healthy life.” Speaking to the community, he said, “the project is an exemplary model of public-private partnership between the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, AKDN, KfW and the community that can be replicated in other parts of the world as well”. He congratulated the AKDN for delivering high quality service to the communities with utmost dedication and commitment. In Chitral, the mission inaugurated a water supply scheme in Ghokheer village and visited the Chitral town water supply project which will benefit 726 households in the Singoor, Dolomuch and Seenlasht villages of Chitral.]]>
