MANSEHRA/LAKKIMARWAT: Chairmen of the village and neighbourhood councils here on Monday demanded an early release of the development funds allocated to the public health department for projectsintheirareas.

They warned that members of local bodies would stage rallies if the government didn`t release those funds.

`Unfortunately, the government hasn`t released development funds to the public health department during the current financial year leading to the suspension of water supply to many areas under 12 schemes,` chairman of the Safada village council Basharat Ali Swati told reportershere.

Accompanied by heads of other local bodies, Mr Swati said there hadn`t been any water supply to his village council for the last two weeks due to a fault in the electric pumping system.

He said 11 other water schemes in village and neighbourhood councils were also hit by the same issue.

`Residents have been withoutpotable water for many weeks,` he claimed.

The council chairman said the water table had plunged in Mansehra city and its suburbs causing acute shortages.

He demanded intervention by the caretaker chief minister for the release of funds to the public health department to ensure early restoration of water supply in Mansehra region as well as start of work on new water schemes.

Mr Swati said the village council chairmen visited the public health department many times and raised the issue with officials, but water supply couldn`t resume due to the unavailability of funds.

`If the public health department doesn`t resume water supply to our areas within a week, all village and neighbourhood council chairmen will be left with no option but to hold street protests,` he said.

Meanwhile, members of Lakki Marwat tehsil council asked the provincial government to provide funds to the localbodies to launch development works and improve municipal services in urban and rural localities.

They made the demand during a session of the council held in Lakki city on Monday. Council chairman Shafgatullah Khan was also in attendance.

Speaking on the occasion, councilors, including Eng Latifullah Khan, Malik Motabar Khan, Naimatullah, Nisar Khan,Qismatullah and others, said the localbodies had notbeen provided uplift funds for the last one and a half years.

They regretted that the previous PTI-led government had failed to providefundstothelocalbodies.

`Non-provision of funds has paralysed the local bodies, adding to the troubles of people,` a member said. He said roads were in dilapidated condition as no repair work could be carried out due to paucity of funds.

He asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority to repair the potholed and damaged TajazaiDarratang Road as transporters from Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Tank and other southern districts used the artery to go to Islamabad.

Another member said recent flash floods had badly damaged road infrastructure, but the provincial government had not provided funds for their rehabilitation.

Other councillors asked the government to provide a special grant to the municipal administration to pay salaries and pensions to its employees.

They also demanded transparent distribution of subsidised flour and shifting of tehsil offices to Lakki city from the District Headquarters Complex, Tajazai.

Tehsil chairman Mr Shafgatullah said all members would get equal share in uplift funds as and when provided by the provincialgovernment.