KOHAT: The people of Shakardarra where oil and gas was discovered in 1997 are still without drinking water though an agreement in this regard was signed in 2003 between the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and the local people.

The women of this neglected town usually bring water from rainwater ponds at distant places despite hundreds of protest meetings and promises by successive governments and political leaders to launch a water supply scheme.The roads, streets, hospital and schoolsinthe areaare alsoinabad shape.

The OGDCL had dug the first well in 1999 and second one in 2000 and the production started in 2004, but neither the oil and gas companies nor the MPs from the area took interest in providing facilities to the poverty-stricken people.

The local councillors also hoodwinked the people and went into money deals with the influential people of the area who were only interested in demanding increase in payment for passing the gas pipelines from their land.

Regional coordinator of OGDCL for the KP and Jand area of Punjab, Mushfiq Paracha, told Dawn on Tuesday that they had sanctioned Rs150 million as initial grant for Chashmai water project for Shakardarra, but its feasibility report was being awaited. Heclaimed that currently they had been providing water to the people through water tankers in urban and some rural areas by spending Rs1.3 million a month.

He also said that they were ready to help the government in the reconstruction of old Liaquat Memorial Hospital and contribute Rs100 million if any such project was started. He said that OGDCL had finalised the payment of Rs600 million for improving the infrastructure, hospitals and educational institutions in Kohat and Karak districts.

According to an official of the finance department, Kohat, three MPAs and one MNA have received over Rs1.5 billion royalty funds during the last two years, but no major project was initiated by them so far.

Mr Paracha said that the elected representatives should point outneeds of the respective areas and the OGDCL would help as much as it could.

ARRESTED: The police arrested three alleged smugglers carrying 33 cattle to Afghanistan through Kohat and impounded their vehicles here on Tuesday.

The police stopped three vehicles at one of the checkposts set up for checking cattle smuggling ahead of Eidul Azha and impounded two trucks JKH-277 and JU-5636 and a pickup loaded with cows and buffaloes. On demand, the alleged smugglers could not produce documents for transporting the cattle to Afghanistan and the three, including Mohammad Asim of Rajanpur and Ali Sardar and Asmatullah of Lakki Mawrat, were arrested.

A case has been registered against them in the Saddar police station.