HARIPUR, Dec 17: The representatives of union councils of Khalabat and Tarbela threatened to go on hunger strike if the funds earmarked for their UCs were not transferred to their accounts in two weeks.

This was decided at a joint meeting of nazims, naib nazims and councillors of Khalabat and Tarbela union councils here on Tuesday.

The participants deliberated upon the problems faced by the people of both the UCs owing to scarcity of funds. They expressed concern over the deteriorated state of roads of Khalabat township, lack of proper sewerage system, water shortage at certain points and other problems faced by the residents.

They said the settlement of the people who rendered sacrifices of their fertile lands, orchards and even the last abodes of their ancestors in the national interest for Tarbela Dam was deprived of basic amenities.

The participants said that a number of victims of Tarbela Dam project had not yet been compensated against their loss while those who managed to get their names enlisted for compensation by the military government were paid much less than the market rate.

They criticized the government for the delay in disbursement of Rs18.6 million funds allocated for the development schemes of Khalabat and Tarbela union councils out of the compensation package approved for the Tarbela Dam victims by President Gen Pervez Musharraf in 2001.