SWABI: The affected people of Topi tehsil headquarters and its suburbs have demanded employment in the Tarbela Dam and Ghazi Barotha dams.

Speaking at a function here on Friday, they said a few days ago they had met with the officials of the Tarbela Dam and briefed them about their grievances.

Leaders of political parties, welfare bodies, members of jirgas and former representatives of local government participated in the gathering.

They were told by the officials that it was expected that construction work on the Tarbela Dam’s fifth extension project would start during current year and priority would be given to locals in employment.

Fazal Khalid, president of Islahi Jirga Topi, said people of Topi and surrounding areas had given 100,000 kanals of land for Tarbela Dam and 20,000 kanals for Ghazi Barotha Dam, but they had been ignored in employment in both the projects, and majority of recruitments were made from Punjab and Sindh.

“The graveyards of our ancestors have gone under water due to the two projects, but still we are getting no benefits, even still facing prolonged power loadshedding,” he lamented.

Arif Shah, a member of Tarbela Dam Action Committee, said they wanted that the fifth extension project should be established at a site approachable to the affected people of the two projects.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2021