January 28, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 27, 1426

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GILGIT, Jan 27: The Northern Areas Legislative Council has demanded that the federal government should implement its resolution calling for renaming the Bhasha dam as Diamer dam and payment of dam royalty to the people of the region.

NALC legislators from Diamer and other districts of Northern Areas said the legislative body had passed a unanimous resolution on Nov 13, 2000, demanding that Bhasha dam be renamed as Diamer dam and royalty should be paid to the people of Northern Areas.

But the federal government ignored its recommendations, they regretted.

They said the government had bowed to the demands of the NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan regarding construction of the Kalabagh dam, but ignored the NALC resolution.

The NALC members said they would not allow construction of any dam or reservoir in the region unless their demands were met.

A legislator from Diamer district Haji Abdul Quddus said that almost all the legislators had demanded on renaming of Bhasha dam and payment of royalty to the people of the Northern Areas.

He demanded that a commission should be constituted to resolve the matter amicably.

Mr Quddus maintained that the proposed dam would inundate 99 per cent of Diamer land and it was in no way possible for them to surrender royalty and name to other provinces.

Another NALC legislator from the same district, Hayder Khan said the government had made the proposed dam controversial by declaring it Bhasha dam.

He demanded that name should be changed as Diamer dam and 75 per cent royalty be paid to the people of Diamer district while remaining 25 per cent be shared by the people other districts of Northern Areas.

MOBILIZATION: According to reports reaching here, a supreme council of the grand jirga, comprising 30 notables, have begun mobilizing people against the construction of Bhasha dam. Sources said the Gilgit-based Imamia Council has expressed its solidarity with the people of Diamer on Bhasha dam and demanded that the government should implement the NALC resolution.

Meanwhile, Wapda chief engineer Atullah in Gilgit said a high-level commission headed by a judge of the Supreme Court and representatives from Northern Areas and the NWFP would help resolve the controversy over the name of the dam.

HOSPITAL: The government had approved a hospital to be set up in Baseen village, near Gilgit, an official of health department said.

The 10-bed hospital will cost Rs4.5 million.