ATTOCK, Oct 10: About 6,000 people affected by Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project (GBHPP) have not yet been given compensation amounts of Rs295 million for their land despite the passage of 12 years. The reason for this unnecessary delay is the vacant post of Land Acquisition Collector (LAC), although the project had been commissioned in 2003, Dawn has learnt.

A report prepared by Ghazi Barotha Taraqiati Idara (GBTI) says, about 59,259 lands of 26,721 affected people of as many as 55 villages including Kamra, Dahair, Barotha, Haji Shah, Musa, Khakwani, Ghorghushti, Pinda and Surgsalar were acquired for the project in 1994.

Out of which, Rs3.172.7 billion were paid among the 20,776 affected people, while compensation of Rs295.362 million of as many as 5,945 affected people were still pending due to non- availability of LAC.

A year before an official Malik Ahmed Ali was posted as LAC for the disbursement of the rest of the amount but he was transferred soon after assuming his office like his other predecessors.

The matter was brought to the notice of the high government quarters through District Nazim, Attock, ministers, member of National and provincial Assemblies from Attock and various public forums but the situation remained unchanged.

However, GBTI also set up an Affected people Facilitation Cell (AFC) to resolve the issue, the report added.

In the meantime, National Accountability Bureau on August 20, 2001 reportedly arrested 12 officials including the then LAC Attock, in Rs1.4 billion mega land scam of GBHP. In acquisition of lands, they over-assessed the lands of influential and awarded, in connivance of members land valuation committee, Wapda high officials, huge compensation for gardens and trees that were existed only on papers and allegedly earned windfall commission.

Later some of accused were released on plea bargain by NAB while some of them were released on bails by the respective courts.

Since then compensation cases of thousands of affected people were pending in the office of LAC.

Interestingly wapda did not bother to appoint any other officer on the vacant post of LAC Attock so far and as a result a large number of affected land owners are still waiting for their due rights.

Affected persons regretted that their lands were acquired for the GBHP on the start of the project in 1994 and surprisingly the project had been commissioned three years back but unfortunately their compensation amounts were not paid to them.

They demanded of the concerned quarters of the government including Chairman Wapda to take prompt steps for the issuance of their 12-year long pending land compensations and appoint LAC to resolve the issue without any further delay.