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PESHAWAR, Aug 17 (APP):Looking frail with clear signs of weakness on his face due to ripe age of 65, Said Khan, a dweller of Icherrian union council in Manshera district had to endure an exhausting task of climbing a steep of 300 feet five or six times a day, hauling pots of water from Siran river just to meet his family’s basic needs.
“Each trip was back-breaking, putting tremendous strain on my feeble body, yet I was compelled to continue the hard work because we had no alternative in our water-scarred dwelling at the hilly terrain of Icherrian,” relates Said Khan.
However, a recent initiative of introducing an innovative and eco-friendly technology of Hydraulic Ram Pump irrigation system has not only brought ease in the life of Said Khan but also to around fifty families of the area.
The new technology has reshaped daily life in the community, offering much-needed relief, especially for women and adolescent girls, from the herculean task of climbing a steep of 300 feet while carrying heavy pots of water on their shoulders.
“The initiative of installing Hydraulic Ram Pump technology in water-scarce areas of Manshera district was taken by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under its programme of Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP), launched with the support of Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office,” informed Engr Kifayat Zaman, Senior Researcher IWMI.
Talking to newsmen during an exposure visit to District Manshera, Engr Kifayat informed that the Hydraulic Ram Pump technology has proved to be very useful in fulfilling the water needs of those communities which are facing an acute shortage of the basic commodity.
This is also very effective in combating climate change because it does not need a single drop of fuel or even solar power for its operation, he added.
“Hydraulic pumps harness the kinetic energy of flowing water from a channel, directing it through a pipeline system. This water is then pumped back up to elevations of around 300 feet, providing a reliable water supply to communities facing severe shortages,” Kifayat explains.
He said IWMI has installed four pumps in Manshera district as pilot project and will replicate the initiative in four other areas after evaluating its result and feedback from beneficiaries.
IWMI will also submit a proposal to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government about the outcome of the initiative with recommendations for its adoption in areas where communities are facing water scarcity to meet household needs and irrigation purposes.
“Our female family members are very happy over getting relief from this difficult task of bringing water from the footsteps of the mountain to the upper hills,” commented Muhammad Younas, a resident of Icherrian village.
Talking to APP, Younas said water is the very essential need for human beings and sometimes at midnight we have to take the risk of coming down to bring water to overcome the shortage at home.
“My wife and the other women in our area used to wash clothes on the banks of the Siran River, a difficult and time-consuming task. Now, thanks to having water readily available at our doorstep, they can do this chore comfortably at home, bringing a big change in our daily lives,” Younas apprised.
“We have land but were unable to utilize it for agricultural purposes because of our dependence on rain for meeting the water requirement of fields. Now with the availability of water in our dwelling, we are hopeful of full utilization of our agricultural land through cultivation of vegetables and even fruits,” commented Muhammad Shafaqat, another resident of the area.
“Agriculture in Mansehra is largely rainfed, especially in the hilly areas. While there are some irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting initiatives, a significant portion of farmland relies on rainfall for crop cultivation,” informed Naqash Abbasi of IWMI.
The Hydro Ram Pump technology has proved to be a highly sustainable and cost-effective solution to one of the toughest challenges of water accessibility in mountainous areas, Naqash remarked.
He informed that the cost of installing of the technology is also affordable for local communities and does not demand much technical skills in its operation and maintenance.
“The technology has the potential of not only fulfilling water needs of the communities but can also boost agriculture production in rain-fed areas of the country by providing water round the clock,” Naqash claimed.