Earthquake-hit areas: Erra signs contract for promotion of rain water harvesting

A contract signing ceremony was held at Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) HQs between Erra and six service providers for 'Promotion of Rain Water Harvesting' in earthquake affected areas of AJ&K and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa here on Friday.
The six service providers were including Anjuman Falah-o-Behbud, Maqsood Welfare Foundation, Women Welfare Organisation Poonch (WWOP), Health Education Environment Development (HEED), Society for Upgradation of Knowledge Health & Infrastructure (SUKHI) and Network for Human and Social Development (NHSD).
The ceremony was attended by Chief Water Planning Commission and representatives of Ministry of Environment, PCRWR, EAD, UNDP, World Bank, Unicef and governments of AJ&K and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa along with high-ranking officials of Erra. Chairman Erra Hamid Yar Hiraj said that the project is a pro-poor initiative and a long-term solution of water scarcity in the earthquake affected areas. Being the largest and first initiative of its kind in public sector, Planning Division is also looking at implementing the project all over the country, which will ensure better health by meeting safe water needs.
Hamid thanked partner organisations and Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) for financially supporting the landmark project, which he emphasised was the most economical and best viable alternative to ensuring water availability not only in urban, but also distant rural areas of Sindh and Punjab.
Deputy Chairman Erra Lieutenant General Muhammad Haroon Aslam said the partner organisations played a pivotal role in Erra's success and keeping global initiatives for vulnerable people, providing clean drinking water was one of the priorities of Erra. He informed the august gathering that Erra has planned to expand this initiative as alternative energy, leading to solar energy projects, thus saving the forests and protecting the environment.-PR