QUETTA: Participants of a public hearing on the proposed 200km road connecting Chagai with Kharan and Washuk districts called on the authorities concerned to ensure provision of maximum jobs to the local people in the project.

The hearing was organised by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) here on Sunday. It was presided over by Environment Secretary of Balochistan Sajjad Bhutta and attended by EPA Director General retired Captain Mir Tariq Zehri, officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA) and concerned citizens.

Briefing the participants, the consultants of the project said that the dual carriageway would start from the Yak Mach area in Chagai district and connect three remote districts of Balochistan. It will be constructed in two years at a cost of Rs13 billion.

“The project will create over 3,000 jobs and provide a shorter route for imports and exports between Pakistan and Iran,” Mr Zehri said. The road will also provide access to Chagai-Quetta-Karachi and Kharan-Surab-Ratodero highways and reduce travelling distance between the region and Karachi, giving boost to trade and business.

Mir Abdul Karim Nosherwani, a member of the Balochistan Assembly from Kharan, welcomed the decision of construction of the road and said that it would bring a positive change in lifestyle of people of the area as they would be able to send their agricultural produce to the main market in less time.

However, some of the participants expressed reservations over the jobs and environmental issues and demanded that all non-skilled jobs should be given to the local people and the NHA should utilise machinery available in the area for construction of the road.

They suggested that the NHA should plant trees at both sides of the road and take other measures to protect environment.

They urged the authority to ensure payment of compensation for land to be acquired for the project.

The NHA officials said that the rights of local people would be protected during execution of the project.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2017