Micro Hydro Project – Village Kundimar, District Swat

Comprising of nearly 255 households (over 1,900 people), Kundimar is a typical rural village in swat

district. It is situated at a distance of 100 kilometers from swat town. Over the years, kundimar has been

deprived of electricity due to one reason or the other and nearly 96 percent households are out of

national grid. People mostly use firewood for cooking, kerosene oil for lighting and diesel oil for running

flour mills. Women and were mainly associated with collecting fire woods, which is not only time

consuming but a major threat to already diminishing forest. Use of kerosene and diesel for lighting

purposes is injurious to health.

With the initiation of EU funded Programme for Economic Advancement and Community

Empowerment, the locals of kundimar village approached SRSP for construction of Micro Hydro Power

Generation Plant in Kundimar. After detailed assessments and feasibility report and bringing them into

organized fold, a 25 kilowatt micro hydro project was established in kundimar benefitting 200

households. The project was completed in a short span of 6 months. It was initiated in June, 2013 and

completed in December, 2013. The MHP is maintained by Falahi Tanzeem Kundimar, a community

organization at village level.

"This power is wonderful', says villagers, 'All of us will feel the benefit for many years to come'.

In the months ahead, villagers will be able to light their homes, save time for women and children and

run small enterprises with this power. It will bring them a little vital money, to help buy clothes, food

and even schooling for their children. Also, water electricity means less wood is used - so the

environment benefits.