PESHAWAR, April 3: People of Bahrain Town in Upper Swat on Tuesday opposed construction of a dam on Darral Khwar, a gushing tributary, and threatened to block work on it over the government’s failure to address their grievances.

They also demanded compensation and free electric supply from the government for themselves.

Speaking to a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Ahmad Rafay Alam, a representative of the people of Bahrain, said the government had announced to hold the dam’s groundbreaking ceremony on April 19 without consulting locals, who had to file a petition with the Peshawar High Court against the project for relief.

He said the dam construction would negatively affect the life of locals as the government’s failure to redesign it would destroy agriculture sector, livestock and irrigation system.

Mr Alam said the dam would also badly affect ecology of the area and aquatic life. He said the project didn’t meet the Environment Impact Assessment standard as there were dire environmental consequences, including end to fish breeding and poor quality of water.

“We are not opposed to the project if it doesn’t damage environment and agriculture,” he said.

He also demanded payment of compensation to people affected by the project and supply of free electricity to locals after redesigning of power plant to be installed on the tributary.

Also in attendance, Zubair Torwali, chief of Idara Baraye Taleem-o-Taraqi of Bahrain, told reporters that officials of Sarhad Hydel Development Organisation had planned the project with a mala fide intent as it would generate only 36 megawatts of electricity.

He said Bahrain dam would affect lives of people in seven villages and maximum portion of the local forest as at least 40,000 trees would have to be harvested for the purpose.Mr Torwali said due to unavailability of proper sewerage system, diversion of Darrak Khwa would cause environmental problems for a population of 30,000 in the town.

“We have held a meeting with ANP provincial president Afrasiab Khattak, who expressed commitment to early resolution of the issue, but Shydo officials bypassed him and directly got approved the project from the chief minister,” he said.

He said the dam’s feasibility report submitted to the government was unsubstantiated as only a few pro-Shydo people had been mentioned as the project’s real victims had been ignored. He said 40 elders were petitioners in the case against the dam construction and that the judiciary was their only hope for relief.

“We see no benefit from the project. It will cause scarcity of drinking water. Our irrigation channels will dry up causing irreparable harm to agriculture,” he said asking the chief justice of Peshawar High Court to provide locals with justice in the case.