HARIPUR, April 12: Tehsil nazim Haripur Iftekhar Ahmad Khan has said that a multi-million urban development project has been approved for the five union councils of Haripur under the National Urban Development Project of Asian Development Bank.

A team of the donor agency will soon visit the union councils to prepare a feasibility report. This he said while speaking on a point of order at the council's session here on Monday. The session was presided over by convener Raja Zubair Ahmad.

Mr Khan told the house that under the NUDP programme, which was actually approved in 1999, envisaged filth disposal plants, treatment plants, replacement of all old water supply lines, laying of sewers, pavement of streets and road carpeting in two union councils of Khalabat Township and three urban UCs of north, central and south.

He said that solid waste would be recycled to prepare manure from it, which would generate a handsome revenue for the TMA. Renewing his resolve to remove encroachments from the city, Mr Khan said that some encroachments had already been removed, while some people voluntarily demolished the illegal structures.

He made it clear while responding to a point of order that although it was not binding on the TMA to provide alternative space to those who were being affected, yet he would try to help them in this regard.

He also demanded a certain share of Tarbela Dam's royalty for Haripur. Mr Khan, while referring to a dispute over a piece of land reportedly earmarked for playground in Khalabat Township said that certain figures from the provincial government were pressing for construction of a mosque on the site, though the people of the area wanted a playground rather than a mosque.

Earlier, councillors Raja Ehtesham, Sheikh Abid, Ghulam Jan and Haji Yunus opposed a proposal of the house's regulation committee pertaining to reduction in brick kiln tax from Rs5,000 to Rs1,500.