MANSEHRA: NGO Rabat Development Organisation will provide electricity to 140 houses with the help of solar panels in remote and snowbound Mahnoor valley of Balakot tehsil here with the financial assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.

This was announced during the inauguration ceremony of the USAID Small Grants and Ambassador`s Fund Programme here on Tuesday.

Noted among speakers were NGO chief executive officer Raja Alamzeb, former minister Habibur Rehman Tanoli, tehsil nazim Rustam Khan, PTI information secretary Malik Mushtaq Khattana and district councillor Mushtaq Khan.

Mr Alamzeb said Mahnoor valley was paradise on earth but didn`t have basic facilities and therefore, its three villages, including Banda, Bada and Grain Sheikha, were included in the project for development.

He said special committees would be formed to initiate schemes for the local people`s development and environmental protection.

`The USAID sanctioned Rs10 million to provide electricity to these villages and train locals in field of alternative energy source and solar panels.

We will not only impart training to a group of people nominate d by the community but will also give them monthly stipend of Rs5,000 each,` he said.

Former minister Habibur Rehman Tanoli saidNGOs should launch programmes for the development of neglected parts of Mansehra district affected by natural calamities.

Mr Khattana said the people of Mansehra, especially those affected by the 2005 earthquake, were in dire need of help as the reconstruction or repairs of schools and health facilities in their areas were still incomplete.

ONE KILLED: A man on Tuesday killed his uncle over a land dispute in Sheikhul Garhi area of district. The police said Khurram Shahzad allegedly fired gunshots at his uncle, Shahzad Ali, who later succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital in Abbottabad.

They said Shahzad All and Khurram Shahzad had heated exchanges, which led to the firing incident.

The police said they hande d over the body to the family after doctors performed postmortem at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital here.

They said they had registered FIR before beginning investigation to arrest the suspect, who fled after the incident.

Also in the day, the Judbah police arrested four people for killing a man and his father last week.

The arrests of Ghazi Mohammad, Ghazi Mumtaz, Mohammad Sultan and Mohammad Barkat named in the case were made in different parts of Mansehra district. Correspondent