SHANGLA: The residents of Duna and Koz Kana forcibly halted work on a t unnel of 11.8-megawatt hydropower project in protest, demanding water supply to their areas.

The protesters said that around 16 natural springs of the area had dried up due to digging of the tunnel. They came from Dunai of Ranyal union council and Kuz Kana and forced the workers to stop work on the underconstruction tunnel.

They were also chanting slogans against Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) for not fulfilling its promise of execution of water supply scheme for the affected areas.

Abdul Wahab, Nisar Ahmed, Abdur Rauf, Mehboobur Rehma, Mutawakel Khan, and Gulab Shahpur, who led theprotesters,saidthattheyhadbeen facing acute water shortage for the last two years after work was started on the tunnel.

They claimed that there were around 20 natural springs and local people used to fetch water from there but when Pedo started work on the project 16 of the springs dried up which caused shortage of water in the areas.

`Last year when we started an agitation demanding water supplyscheme, the Pedo officials signed an agreement with us that a water supply scheme would be initiated for us but it failed to fulfil its commitment,` said Nisar Ahmed.

He claimed that about Rs7 million were allocated by Pedo for the water supply scheme but work was yet to be started on it.

Abdul Wahab, another elder, said that over 15,000 residents of Dunai and Koz Kana were suffering owing towater shortage and women fetched water from distant river and springs.

He said that they had staged several protests and held meetings with Pedo and district administration but their demand was not accepted.

The assistant commissioner revenue, Azhar Zahoor, held negotiations with the protesters and assured them that Pedo would execute the water supply scheme. The protesters dispersed peacefully.