PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed the Public Health Engineering department to expedite work on water supply schemes in newly merged districts and submit PC-1 of the proposed Shalman-Landikotal drinking water supply scheme in district Khyber to the relevant forum for approval at the earliest.

He also directed concerned quarters to shrink the completion period of the project to one and half years instead of two years so that provision of clean drinking water to local population could be ensured in the minimum possible time.

He was chairing a meeting to review progress so far made on water supply schemes of Khyber, Mohmand and Karak districts here on Monday.

Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah, Chief Engineers of PHE department and others attended the meeting.

Briefing the meeting about progress on the proposed projects, it was told that feasibility study for Shalman-Landikotal water supply scheme was completed while test bore and engineering design were in progress.

The project would provide clean drinking water to a total of 29 areas of Landikotal, Loe Shalman and Kamshalman which include both existing served areas and un-served areas to meet the daily requirement.

The un-served areas include: Ashkhel, Mirdad Khel, Mukhtar Khel, Pero Khel, Sheikhmal Khel, Ashaq Khel, Fatmi Khel, Zakaria Masjid, Changi, Salman Khel, Dormakhor.

It was further told that the project was designed keeping in view water needs of area for next thirty years adding that estimated cost of said project is Rs 5534 million.

Touching upon the proposed water supply schemes of Mohmand district it was told that feasibility study for water supply scheme to Ghalanai and its adjacent villages was done while design engineering was underway.

Similarly, feasibility study for provision of clean drinking water to Pindiyali, Ambar, and Prang Ghar project was also in progress.

Taking about Khawazai-Baizai water supply scheme, it was informed that feasibility study for the project was completed while engineering design was in progress.

The chief minister directed the quarters concerned to prepare and submit PC 1 of above mentioned scheme to relevant forum within two months positively.

The forum was appraised that work on various water supply schemes in Karak district was also underway.

The chief minister directed the PHE department to carry out feasibility study and devise a comprehensive plan in order to resolve drinking water issues in southern districts on permanent basis.