DUSHANBE , June 28, Asia-Plus -- On Monday June 26, an official opening of the “Light Path” project aimed at installation of transformer and construction of power-transmission line was held in the village of Navobod , Panjakent district in the Sughd province.   

Ms. Parvina Azizov , coordinator for public relations of USAID-sponsored Peaceful Communities Initiative ( PCI ) Project run by Mercy Corps in Khujand, has told Asia-Plus that the project was implemented within 35 days due to joint efforts of local population in cooperation with Panjakent authorities and local electric system enterprise.     

According to her, the village with the population of 1,000 people had only one transformer which had not enough capacity to properly provide the population with electricity, especially in the winter period.

Ms. Azizova cited local resident Ergash Usmonov as saying that the project has helped end dispute between the residents of the village over electricity.   Because of constant overloads   the old transformer was frequently coming out of order and the local residents had to collect money for repairs to it.    

The project funded the construction of a 1-kilometer power-transmission line and installation of a new transformer having a capacity of 160 kW.   A totla cost of the project amounted to some US$10,000, comprising a 70-percent contribution of the PCI Project and a 30-percent share of local residents and authorities, according to the Asia-Plus interlocutor.            

ABOUT: The USAID ’ s PCI Project is a five-year program having been working on the territory of Ferghana Valley since October 2001.   The main objective of the program is in establishing effective cooperation between various ethnic groups inside the republic and residents of border areas.