Rainwater harvest initiative launched in Bajaur, Mohmand

BAJAUR/MOHMAND: A rooftop rainwater harvesting initiative has been launched in Bajaur and Mohmand tribal districts to conserve monsoon water for daily use. In Bajaur, the system was established at the additional deputy commissioner (F&P) office in Civil Colony Khar with the technical assistance of the public health engineering department.

Deputy Commissioner Adnan Farid Afridi inaugurated the system in a ceremony held on Sunday. Officials from the public health department educated participants on the process and significance of the scheme, explaining that the rooftop rainwater harvesting system collects rainwater through gutters and downpipes, filters out dirt, and stores it in a tank for domestic use or further treatment for drinking.

Afridi expressed gratitude for the system's installation, calling it a crucial step in addressing the water issue in the region and maintaining groundwater levels. The system cost Rs600,000 to establish.

Mohmand district administration has also initiated a rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge program, aligning with directives from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, who instructed district administrations to prepare at least two rainwater recharge sites in each district. Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Fayyaz Khan briefed participants about a pilot system installed at the Governor Model School, Ghazi Baig, where rainwater from the rooftop is collected and stored, capable of gathering around 1,000 liters of rainwater.

The district administration plans to expand the program to government buildings, including schools and hospitals, and seeks support from philanthropists and the business community.