Chitral villagers hit by long delay in rehab of irrigation system.

CHITRAL -- The glacial lake outburst flood (glof), which hit the Golen valley on July 7 this year, has left poverty-stricken people in peril in Golen, Mori Payeen, Barghuzi and Kuju Bala villages.

Villagers complain that an inordinate delay in the rehabilitation of the siphon irrigation system had left the crops of wheat, pulses, fodder, vegetables and fruits vulnerable, while maize hadn't been cultivated.

Rizwanullah advocate of Barghuzi village said the 'economy' of all four affected villages had been badly affected due to the disconnection of irrigation water, while the government wasted time for its rehabilitation.

He said the four villages were known throughout the district for fertile land, where a variety of pulses, vegetables, grapes and pomegranates on a commercial scale, while cheese and desi ghee was also produced in the area.

The villager said all three villages got irrigation water from the Golen valley through siphon system, which was washed away by glof suspending water supply.

He added that the villagers had to wait for the government's help, which came but only after they lost a large chunk of their economy.

Mohammad Nabi Khan of Mori Payeen said the cultivation of wheat for the coming season had been affected in his village as farmers had lost capacity to buy seeds, fertilisers and pesticides and faced the shortage of irrigation water as the siphon system had yet to be restored to ensure smooth water supply by pipes.

He said the pair of oxen to plough fields was also unavailable as farmers had sold livestock, including oxen, cows, goats and sheep when the village...

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