Asma Ali
KOHAT: Like provision of basic amenities throughout the world are essential for progress and prosperity of the nations wherein a clean environment is also imperative for the human being because a healthy human can perform his responsibility as a responsible citizen of the state.
Over the past various terms, federal and provincial governments gave time to time due attention to provision of clean drinking water, cleanliness, sanitation like other issues but neither results came out nor a permanent solution was sorted out.
Taking extremely serious of this issue by provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it has not only formed water and sanitation companies but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Citizens Improvement Project (KPCIP) was launched in collaboration of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and handed over projects to the sanitation companies worth billions rupees.
From 2017, the Water and Sanitation Company Kohat (WSSCK) has efficiently carried out operations in six urban areas of the city of Kohat and Kotal Township for cleanliness, sanitation and provision of clean drinking water.
On the basis of good performance, the WSSCK won the public trust and its operational activities and services of people were also appreciated at governmental level as well.
Owing to hardwork and best performance, projects worth billions of rupees had been handed over to WSSCK under KPCIP, which formally launched from December 2022 by the former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mehmood Khan, the projects include Kohat Sports Complex, establishment of Milam Women Business Development Centre, restoration of sewerage system and construction of new sewerage treatment plants in KDA and water supply system.
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The 353 km long water pipeline will be completely replaced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project to ensure delivery of clean drinking water in Kohat city.
The project involves rehabilitation of existing 20 tubewells of WSSCK will be carried out and 10 new tube wells will be constructed to meet water shortage.
Similarly, five new head reservoirs and three new surface reservoirs will be constructed to provide uninterrupted water supply to the public.
Likewise, the new water supply system will be fully solarized to deal with the problem of load shedding.
Also, Construction of a new sewage treatment plant in KDA Phase 2 is underway at Zoroshwar, with a total area of 13 acres and will treat 3 million gallons of water per day, which will further be used for irrigation.
Apart from that the 75 km long sewerage network in KDA will be completely replaced. Pumping stations will also be constructed at two places in KDA for the sewage treatment plant.
Under the KPCIP, a new and modern Milam Women Business Development Center is being established for the women of Kohat.
Similarly, the upgradation work of Kohat Sports Complex to provide sports facilities to the citizens of Kohat is going on rapidly and 40% of these two projects have been completed so far.
For regular monitoring of all these projects, Asian Development Team missions visit Kohat regularly and they are briefed on the ongoing work on all the projects by Chief Executive Officer of WSSC Kohat Arif Rauf and Chief Engineer Mian Mohsin Gul. Briefing is given about
With the success of these projects, Kohat will be on the path of development very soon and the problems of sanitation and clean water supply will end.
It should be noted that WSSCK played its role in cleaning the city by collecting 39900 tons of garbage from the city and cleaning 209 km of meter drains in the year 2023.
