KOHAT: The affected people of Tanda Dam have assailed the successive governments for making false promises since 1966 to provide basic amenities of life, including blacktopping of a dirt road, which is their only connection with the Kohat city.

Speaking at a jiga held in Barh area the other day, the elders warned not to allow holding of a water sports festival planned for April 2 if their demands were not met.

They regretted that despite several promises made by the administration and the lawmakers the road could not be carpeted during the last 30 years.

Speaking at the jirga, former nazim Qeemat Khan and village councillor Irshad Khan criticised the administration for not blacktopping the road. They said the affected people of other dams in the country had been provided jobs and paid compensation, but the victims of Tanda Dam were kept deprived of health, education, water, roads facilities.

They said the Barh Jabbi Road was the only connection to the Kohat city, adding due to absence of a well-carpeted road they were troubled in taking patients to hospitals.

They also demanded upgrading the basic health centre to type-D hospital, immediate carpeting of the road and filling of vacant posts in schools.

They said MNA Sheharyar Afridi and CM’s adviser Ziaullah Bangash had promised several times to construct the road, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2021