MANSEHRA: The district administration has started a vocational training initiative for the youth of Upper Kohistan to be inducted in the 4,300 megawatt Dasu hydropower project on completion of their courses.

This was announced by deputy commissioner Arif Yusufzai while addressing a ceremony held in Dasu on Tuesday to send off the first group of youths for training at a vocational training institution being run by the National Logistics Cell (NLC) in Gilgit.

Director Wapda Mohammad Ajaz and officials of the district administration were also in attendance.

Mr Yusufzai said the training was launched under the livelihood programme initiated by his administration with the financial support of Wapda for the dam-affected families.

“The second group of youngsters will leave for Gilgit on Oct 5,” he said.

Mr Yusufzai said his administration would honour all the commitments made with the people of the district for their uplift.

In another development, the Mansehra district administration is going to launch an anti-encroachment drive in the Kaghan valley in a day or two in pursuance of the Prime Minister’s Clean and Green initiative.

“During the campaign, all the permanent and temporary structures encroaching upon the portions of the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road from Kaghan to Naran will be razed,” deputy commissioner Dr Qasim Ali Khan told reporters on Tuesday.

Dr Ali, who attended a meeting with Hazara division commissioner Riaz Mehsud to review progress on the projects launched in Kaghan valley under the Clean and Green Pakistan initiative, said the National Highway Authority, Wapda, police, tehsil and district administrations would take part in the anti-encroachment drive.

He said Rs850 million had been approved for re-carpeting of the bumpy road from the New Balakot City to Kaghan to link the picturesque valley with the Hazara Expressway.

“We are also relocating hotels, cabins and other commercial and non-commercial structures from Saiful Muluk Lake to elsewhere to preserve its natural beauty and environment as it is rapidly losing its charm because of encroachments,” Dr Ali said.

He said an additional assistant commissioner was posted in Naran to check progress on the projects.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2021