Environmental research

INTRODUCTION 1. Tirah Valley, the project area is situated in Khyber Agency of FATA. The project area was a No-Go Area till December 2001, when Pakistan Army entered into Tirah Valley and started developmental works like construction of roads, schools, and water supply schemes. The project area is extremely under-developed but is rich in natural resources like forests, water streams etc. The water streams have potential for generating micro-hydel power. The presence of Pakistan Army and its developmental interventions in the area encouraged other non-governmental organizations to start activities for socio-economic development of the area. 2. Taking lead from the Army s activities in Tirah Valley, the Tribal Reforms and Development Forum mobilized the local community for better resource management practices of the water streams at various locations having potential for hydel power generation. The Pakistan Army s Engineering Corp, as joint partner agreed to execute the technical dimension of installation of micro-hydel power stations at the technically feasible sites. PROJECT GOALS OR OBJECTIVES a) Inhabitants of Tirah valley use kerosene oil and charcoal wood for cooking / lighting / heating purposes thus resulting in environmental degradation due to fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere. The first objective of the Project is to decrease dependency on kerosene oil / charcoal wood for lightening and avoid climatic change due fossil fuel emissions. b) To give lead to governmental and non-governmental organizations to optimally utilize the enormous hydel-power potential of Tirah Valley. Construction of more hydel-power stations and delay dams on Bara River and Rajgal Nala will subsequently decrease the dependency of locals on using fossil fuels for cooking and heating purposes. c) To enable the community members to work for longer hours at nights. d) To enable the young members of the community to allocate more time on their education at night. e) To enable the local community to have access to modern thought-currents by exposure to electronic media like TV and satellite antennae etc. ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT UNDER THE PROJECT 4. The Tribal Reforms and Development Forum will mobilize the local community for better resource management. TRDF and Army shall jointly identify the sites basing on the technical feasibility and subsequently involve the community by holding Jirgas (Assembly of Elders). The involvement of the community is aimed at community participation for the sustainability of the project. 5. Basing on technical feasibility and allotment of funds, installation of micro-hydel power stations will be undertaken by Army Engineers. 6. Simultaneously, TRDF will mobilize the local community to create a community organization for the post-project look after, operation and collection of (nominal) power charges from each beneficiary to run and maintain the project successfully. 7. TRDF will select, in consultation with the local community, young and energetic youths to get training on operation and maintenance of these hydel power stations. PROJECT PARTICIPANTS AND/OR BENEFICIARIES: 8. Tirah valley is located in Khyber Agency, which has remained denuded from essentials of life for almost hundred years. Ever since move of Army in Tirah valley, the century old NO-GO AREAS has been brought to the main stream of remaining Tribal Areas. However, the valley is totally devoid of basic essential facilities. Efforts are being made to bring these areas at par with the remaining developed areas of the province. The Agency is totally devoid of electricity, notwithstanding enormous potential for hydel-power generation. The locals of the five selected sites have voluntarily offered to look after the scheme after its completion, a phenomenon that is rare in the Tribal Areas. The Tribal Areas of Pakistan make a long strip of land, measuring approximately 41118 square kilometers, stretching from Chitral in the North to Waziristan in the South, runs adjacent to Eastern Afghanistan, thus making a buffer between Afghanistan and Pakistan Administratively, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) come under the purview of the Federal Government of Pakistan. It comprises of 7 agencies and 6 Frontier regions. Population density is 180 persons per square kilometer in FATA. Literacy rate in FATA is 6.7% in male and below 1% in female. Khyber Agency remained neglected in terms of socio-economic development for a long time. Tirah valley is inaccessible part of the Khyber Agency. The opening of Tirah Valley by Pakistan Army provided an opportunity for partners in development to utilize the human and natural resources of Tirah Valley for improving living conditions of the inmates of the area. The Tribal Reforms and Development Forum, a local NGO and Pakistan Army jointly worked, in consultation with the local community, to install micro-hydel generation power stations at five locations in Tirah Valley. Project Location and Description The proposed sites are located in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, which is one of the most under-developed Agency. The proposed sites for Micro hydel units are located under administrative jurisdiction of Jamrud Sub Division of Khyber Agency. The project covers only five villages at Kemia Gul, Nagrosa, Sokh, Tarai, and Pia Noor areas. These Hydel units will provide enough electricity to approximately 5000 beneficiaries in these five villages. Project Identification The Micro-hydel proje

Pakistan