GILGIT, Oct 21: The Diamer district administration has begun acquiring land to start work on the staff colony of the Wapda in Chilas in first phase of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. “We are acquiring 1,208 kanal of land at Thore point for the construction of the colony and the acquisition process has got underway” Sibtain Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner, who is also land collector, told Dawn by phone.

A joint team of Wapda and revenue department has started measurement of land being acquired for construction of a colony to be utilised by the workers of the Wapda during the construction and later on execution of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, he added.

Mr Ahmed said initially a sum of Rs700 million had been paid by Wapda for onward payment of the land.

The deputy commissioner said the administration would make payments of the land compensation in accordance with the package approved by the federal government in consultation with Wapda.

He said that assistant commissioner Chilas was heading the measurement team to ensure transparency in the process.