PESHAWAR, Sept 7: The NWFP Assembly Standing Committee on Irrigation and Power Department has expressed concern over non-payment of compensation to people affected by the Tarbela Dam even in 30 years. The meeting regretted that though the Wapda had paid compensation to other affected people but has failed to pay to the victims of Darband township.

A meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of MPA Zar Gul Khan at the NWFP Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday.

The committee recommended that a meeting should be convened at Mansehra in which the DCO, DOR, DPO, Wapda and the elected representatives from the area along with other landlords should be invited and a viable strategy be adopted for onward recommendations to the provincial government so that the issue of compensation could be resolved.

The meeting also discussed the Ghazi Barotha project and the members regretted that the project’s benefits were taken by the Punjab while the NWFP suffered because the project had been built in this province. They stated that no royalty was being given to the NWFP.