MULTAN-Over 2,600 Sahoolat (convenience) Centres will be set up in Multan and Lodhran districts to supply potable water to citizens under Khadim-e-Aala Saaf Paani Project, disclosed Bilal Ahmad Butt, Commissioner Multan.
Chairing a meeting to review progress in the project here on Friday, the Commissioner added that the project had been launched to make citizens’ access possible to the clean drinking water.
He added that the Sahoolat Centres would be set in all rural and peri-urban areas.
He directed the Deputy Commissioners of all districts of Multan division to hold meetings in their respective areas and submit a report on the progress in the project.
It was told during the meeting that construction of 155 centres in 124 villages of Lodhran, 210 in 178 villages of Kahror Pakka and 136 in 130 villages of Dunyapur would be completed soon.
It was further revealed that survey to acquire land for setting up centres in Multan had been done work for installation of tubewells would begin in July.
In Multan, as many as 908 centres will be set up in 262 villages of Multan, 451 in 247 villages of Shujabad and 451 in 295 villages of Jalalpur Pirwala.
The centres will be set up at a minimum distance of one kilometre and 2000 to 5000 citizens will benefit from each centre.
This news was published in The Nation newspaper.
Read complete newspaper of 01-Jul-2017 here.

Beyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation Announces Clean Water Initiative To Benefit The Children Of Burundi At ESSENCE Festival.
The lack of access to clean drinking water is a widespread crisis that affects millions of people everyday.
Known as the “Heart of Africa,” Burundi is home to a population where nearly half of the residents have no access to safe, clean water.
Together with UNICEF and through her BeyGOOD Foundation, global entertainment powerhouse Beyonce is taking a major step towards improving water conditions in Burundi through a brand new initiative titled BEYGOOD4Burundi.
Announced on Friday morning on the 2017 ESSENCE Festival centerstage, the first phase of the partnership includes the construction of new wells equipped with hand pumps, hygiene education and the improvement of water and sanitation facilities in schools in four priority regions, including Bukemba and Giharo in Rutana Province and Kinyinya and Nyabitsinda in Ruyigui Province.
In these rural communities, children are chronically malnourished and more than 65 percent of the population is using unsafe water sources.
Children and families have to walk long distances to water collection points, and even then the water access rate is extremely low.
"BEYGOOD4BURUNDI is a continuation of the work that Beyoncé, her family and Parkwood Entertainment are doing to address water crises around the world, including right here in the state of Louisiana and in Michigan,” said Ivy McGregor, ‎Director of Philanthropy and Corporate Relations at Parkwood Entertainment, who traveled to Burundi earlier this year.
“In Burundi I saw myself, my sisters and my mother in the strength of the women and young sisters traveling miles to carry water for their families.
“Addressing the global water crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and the children of Burundi are among the most vulnerable,” Stern said.

Beyonce’s BeyGOOD Foundation Announces Clean Water Initiative To Benefit The Children Of Burundi At ESSENCE Festival.
The lack of access to clean drinking water is a widespread crisis that affects millions of people everyday.
Known as the “Heart of Africa,” Burundi is home to a population where nearly half of the residents have no access to safe, clean water.
Together with UNICEF and through her BeyGOOD Foundation, global entertainment powerhouse Beyonce is taking a major step towards improving water conditions in Burundi through a brand new initiative titled BEYGOOD4Burundi.
Announced on Friday morning on the 2017 ESSENCE Festival centerstage, the first phase of the partnership includes the construction of new wells equipped with hand pumps, hygiene education and the improvement of water and sanitation facilities in schools in four priority regions, including Bukemba and Giharo in Rutana Province and Kinyinya and Nyabitsinda in Ruyigui Province.
In these rural communities, children are chronically malnourished and more than 65 percent of the population is using unsafe water sources.
Children and families have to walk long distances to water collection points, and even then the water access rate is extremely low.
"BEYGOOD4BURUNDI is a continuation of the work that Beyoncé, her family and Parkwood Entertainment are doing to address water crises around the world, including right here in the state of Louisiana and in Michigan,” said Ivy McGregor, ‎Director of Philanthropy and Corporate Relations at Parkwood Entertainment, who traveled to Burundi earlier this year.
“In Burundi I saw myself, my sisters and my mother in the strength of the women and young sisters traveling miles to carry water for their families.
“Addressing the global water crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and the children of Burundi are among the most vulnerable,” Stern said.

All residents deserve safe drinking water.
Access to clean water is often taken for granted in our country.
However, the Flint water crisis has shown us that even here in the United States of America, in 2017, there is no guarantee of clean, safe drinking water.
It shouldn’t be this way, but it’s happening in our country – and it’s happening right here in Wisconsin.
Most residents of Kewaunee County in northern Wisconsin get their water from wells.
Because both the animals they house and the spreading of liquid manure as a fertilizer, the groundwater from CAFOs contaminates residential wells and has led to one-third of wells in Kewaunee County being declared unsafe to use for drinking water because of high levels of fecal matter.
Recently, in the Assembly Committee on Environment and Forestry, we had a public hearing regarding Assembly Bill 226, which would permit local governments to take steps to remedy a contaminated well.
Assembly Bill 226 is a Band-Aid and not a cure.
We need to take a look at the underlying reasons that groundwater gets contaminated and look for real solutions, such as proper manure irrigation for areas with thin topsoil.
Rep. Gary Hebl represents the 46th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Sun Prairie and Stoughton, the village of Cottage Grove, and the towns of Cottage Grove, Dunkirk, Pleasant Springs and Sun Prairie.

Relying on large, centralised programmes such as Swachh Bharat Mission and National Rural Drinking Water Programme to provide universal access to basic necessities would require 30-40% more government spending than current levels over the next 15 years, an analysis by Dalberg, a global strategy and policy advisory firm focused on social impact, shows.
The scale of the problem Millions in India lack access to basic utilities.
Water Aid estimates that 63.4 million Indians live without access to safe drinking water, more than in any other country of the world.
For instance, a Dalberg analysis of government spending on water and sanitation indicates a financing shortfall of 30-40% until 2030 if the government continues to spend as it is doing currently.
Further, given the constraints of government institutions combined with an expanding population, more than half a billion Indians are likely to still lack access to safe water, electricity, and sanitation services by 2030.
How decentralisation can help Decentralised solutions can complement centralised utility services–where government systems currently do not exist, they can be the primary service providers; in areas where government services exist but do not perform at desired levels, decentralised systems can be last-mile service delivery providers.
For example, social businesses that operate water kiosks are bringing safe water to communities that lack access to centralised water pipelines.
Water purification businesses offer solutions where government pipelines exist but water is not potable.
For example, Dalberg analysis of primary data collected from seven water-kiosk enterprises across Asia, Africa and Latin America shows that water kiosks require less than 50% of the funding needed to bring safe water to currently underserved households in the conventional manner, which entails laying water distribution pipelines, treatment systems, and connection costs to private/public taps.
Ecosystem-level challenges However, private sector efforts face several ecosystem-level challenges that increase business risk and make it difficult to scale delivery.

‘It’s just mind-boggling’: Before Canada 150, more than 150 drinking water advisories listed online.
As Canada spends a half-billion dollars celebrating its 150th year since confederation, it appears more than 150 drinking water advisories still exist, most of them in First Nations communities.
Of the 153 advisories listed on the federal government and British Columbia’s First Nations Health Authority websites as of Thursday, most occur in Ontario (86), including the oldest boil water advisory, which has been in place since Feb. 1, 1995 (8,184 days) in Neskatanga First Nation.
That’s the case for Kinonjeoshtegon and Pinaymootang First Nations in Manitoba, where 15 boil water and do not consume advisories are listed.
Youth have grown accustomed to only drinking or using bottled water to wash dishes, cook and do chores.
Every Canadian should enjoy clean drinking water,” Redsky said.
“In some cases, communities may also be reluctant to use techniques … such as the addition of chlorine (to water),” he said, adding newer innovations like ultraviolet filters could provide a more natural alternative.
Though progress in Shoal Lake 40 is tangible—an all-weather road to the community is under construction and plans for a new water treatment plant are in the works—Redsky believes some of the half-billion dollars from Canada 150 funds should have been allocated to help struggling First Nations communities with water.
“If we’re going to celebrate a rich country such as Canada, some of those funds should be diverted to the communities such as ours and others who are facing daily challenges such as to have clean drinking water,” he said.
“That day will come when just the basic human right is met and there will be reason at that point to celebrate.”

“Reverse Osmosis is the best water purifying technology out there today,” says Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, President and Co-founder at Footsteps.
That is why we are promoting our own RO technology.” Rafayat is currently a student of Environmental Economics at Pennsylvania State University in the USA.
They are providing over 4000 liters of clean drinking water every day.
As shown in the pictures, the water from the tap shows an alarming amount of iron after the electrolysis.
The project aims to provide about 80,000 liters of clean drinking water in the very near future.
Rafayat’s idea for Project Trishna has been selected for the Global Youth Summit this year.
After he wrote about Project Trishna, he got called for an interview with the organisation.
Besides Project Trishna, Footsteps is constantly working round the year with different projects which aim towards helping the underprivileged and making the country a better place.
The organisation follows the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, of which they have addressed 17 community issues in Bangladesh: Access to Clean Drinking Water, Public Health, Waste Management, Poverty Eradication, Public Awareness, Female Empowerment and Climate Change Adaptation.
It is safe to say that one can make Bangladesh a much better place for the future generations, if only one would follow the positive and inspiring footsteps of real changemakers.

Letter: Repealing Clean Water Act puts Americans at risk.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is going to put nearly 117 million Americans at risk.
This rushed decision to repeal this critical rule by the Trump Administration is the first step in an assault on the American people.
These efforts are a massive waste of time and taxpayer money that will put the drinking water of 1 in 3 people at risk, while the EPA proposes a much weaker rule.
Rolling back the Clean Water Rule will set that progress back.
Communities of color and low income areas have already been experiencing the effect of untreated and contaminated water.
The health crisis is already notable in Flint, Michigan.
However, Flint is not alone; many communities nationwide are facing similar challenges at a smaller scale.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is simply putting polluter profits over public health.
Rebecca Dye Columbus

Letter: Repealing Clean Water Act puts Americans at risk.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is going to put nearly 117 million Americans at risk.
This rushed decision to repeal this critical rule by the Trump Administration is the first step in an assault on the American people.
These efforts are a massive waste of time and taxpayer money that will put the drinking water of 1 in 3 people at risk, while the EPA proposes a much weaker rule.
Rolling back the Clean Water Rule will set that progress back.
Communities of color and low income areas have already been experiencing the effect of untreated and contaminated water.
The health crisis is already notable in Flint, Michigan.
However, Flint is not alone; many communities nationwide are facing similar challenges at a smaller scale.
Repealing the Clean Water rule is simply putting polluter profits over public health.
Rebecca Dye Columbus

Map Drinking Water Sources Worldwide with Freewa.
Did you know that one billion people on Earth do not have access to medically safe drinking water?
Freewa is a Zagreb-based startup that maps the locations of free drinking water in order to make drinking water accessible to everyone and reduce plastic pollution.
Part of the project is Freewa glass bottle that comes with an eco felt bag, both 100% recyclable.
You can start adding your own sources to map and buy your bottle here, or get it for free if you back the campaign.
The bottle has “thank you” written in 12 different languages on it, which was the founders’ way of saying thank you to everyone who is helping save the environment.
When you download the app, you can take photos and add the location of each source, and add stories connected to its location, which also means that you can read interesting stories and gather historical facts.
The founders Goran Ladisic, Vedrana Vrabec, Mihaela Ivanec and Marko Rasic say that their love of nature brought them together, and a firm belief that they need to protect this beautiful planet, as well as the idea that every human being has the right to use the gifts that nature had given us, clean water being one of them.
Download the app for Android and iOs phone and like Freewa on Facebook.
All photos from Freewa Indiegogo.