HYDERABAD, Aug 3: Local leaders of the Kohistan Bachayo Action Committee has criticised the Sindh government for allotting 15,000 acres of land in Deh Kohitan Tapu Jhimpir to different companies for setting up windmill power projects.

Addressing a news conference at the press club, Dr Lakhmir Palari, Mohammad Bux Brohi, Mohammad Anwar Palari and Shah Mohammad Chang said that the former government had allotted 23,000 acres of land to national and foreign companies in Deh for alternative energy projects though the land was owned by local people.

They said that ancient graveyards, ponds, pastures were also located there but the revenue department showed this land as government property and through the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) it was given to different companies.

They said earnings of the projects would go to the centre with Sindh getting nothing from the projects.

They opposed the government’s move by forming an action committee and the then AEDB chief (retd) Air Marshal Shahid Hamid held talks with them on June 21, 2007, where they presented their 10 demands, they said.

The demands pertained to 80 per cent jobs for locals, development of the area, free electricity for villages, construction of roads, schools and hospitals, non-allotment of any more land of Kohistan area to any company.

They said that the ADEB not only agreed to their demands but asked them to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as ADEB and the companies would sign agreements with them.

They stated that they prepared a MoU through their legal adviser and when they approached ADEB’s camp office they were told that the board would speak to companies before signing the MoU and till then the land won’t be allotted to companies. They said that no agreement was signed with them and they kept visiting the office.

They said that formation of the People’s Party government rekindled their hopes for justice. They said the PPP district leaders of Thatta were well aware of this issue.

“But it dashed our hopes when the present government allotted 15,000 acres of more land to companies for energy projects,” they said while naming a Turkey-based company which was working on a windmill project there.

They said the company was handed over the possession of the land amid deployment of law-enforcement agents and it established a camp, where 500 workers were brought from outside areas.

They said a road coming from Thana Bula Khan towards Jhimpir had been closed while barbed wires were placed besides the deployment of security guards.

They said the closure of the area was causing difficulty to villagers who were taking alternative and lengthy routes for visit.

They said that a Turk official had advised them to approach Pakistani government because they had been clearly told not to give jobs to locals who would create problems for the company.

They said they had sent representations to the Sindh government, the DCO and the DPO of Thatta but in vain.

They appealed to intellectuals of Sindh and civil society organisations to raise voice for them. They quoted names of 10 companies which had been given land for alternative energy projects.

They appealed to Pakistani government, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Sindh chief minister to ensure justice to them.

They announced to stage a sit-in outside the Turkish company on August 15.