MANSEHRA: The affected people of Dasu hydropower project have withdrawn the deadline of Sept 28 to forcibly stop work on the dam after fruitful talks with the Wapda chairman. A 12-member committee has been constituted to hold talks with the federal government in this regard.

“After the assurance of chairman Wapda that federal government would meet our demands, we have withdrawn our deadline of Sept 28 to forcibly stop work on the power project,” MPA Abdul Sattar Khan told a jirga held in Barseen area of Kohistan on Sunday.

The 80-member committee of effected people of 4,200MW Dasu Dam had held talks with Wapda Chairman Lt (r) Muzamal Hussain the other day in Dasu in which the latter had assured the committee that all outstanding issues would be settled in accordance with the wishes of the local people.

Wapda chairman promises to address their concerns

Mr Sattar said that they welcomed the gesture of Wapda chairman and hoped that whatever he said would be honoured in letter and spirit. He said that the committee had withdrawn its earlier decision and now they would not interrupt the ongoing work on the project.

Speaking on the occasion, prayer leader of the central mosque in Kamila, Maulana Attaur Rehman, said the affected people wanted the government to honour its earlier commitments made with them, and it was why more time was given to the government and Wapda.

He said landowners should be paid in accordance with the formula accepted by the government, and that local people should also be given jobs in the power project.

The jirga endorsed the decision of withdrawal of the deadline, saying if the government didn’t meet their demands they were free to decide their future line of action.

POWER PROJECTS: District Development Advisory Committee, Torghar, Chairman MPA Zareen Gul Khan has said work on 46 small hydropower projects will start soon in the district.

The government has sanctioned Rs860 million for these projects, Mr Khan told reporters in Oghi on Sunday. He said as over 80 per cent of population was deprived of electricity, establishment of these power stations would be a revolutionary step in history of the district. “This is a mega project which would bring revolutionary changes in lives of local people,” said Mr Khan.

The DDAC chairman said previous government of Awami National Party had announced projects of Rs5 billion, but could not materialise it.

“The government has also sanctioned Rs900 million for construction of the district headquarters hospital in Torghar as people are still without the tertiary healthcare facility,” he said.

The lawmaker said existing roads would be carpeted and new roads would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs300 million. He said that development of education and health sectors was being given top priority.

Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016