MANGLA, Sept 30: President Gen Pervez Musharraf here on Monday inaugurated the Rs57 billion Mangla Dam raising project and said that Azad Kashmir will now get royalty for its hydropower plant like other provinces.

Initially, the federal government has decided to offer Rs700 to Rs800 million to the Azad Kashmir government, but later, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) will work out a formula for extending royalty to AJK,” he said.

He said that differences between the Centre and AJK government have been resolved to increase the height of Mangla Dam by 30ft - from 1234ft. to 1264ft, which will make available additional 2.9 MAF of water annually. The project will also provide additional annual power generation of 772 GWb. It will be completed in June 2007.

The president also announced a compensation package for the 44,000 people affected by the dam. He advised the people not to be deceived by politicians who were against the raising of the project.

The construction of Gomal Zum Dam, Mirani Dam and the raising of Mangla Dam, he pointed out, were among the bigger projects which would help achieve considerable additional water and power during the next few years.

The level of Mangla Dam, he said, has been increased from 1202ft to 1206ft in 2002 which helped to have some additional water. However, he pointed out, when the height of the dam would be raised by 30ft by 2007, it would enormously benefit all the four provinces.

“This raising of Mangla Dam project will first be benefiting Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan and would then accrue benefits for Azad Kashmir,” he said.

The president also announced a package for the affected people and assured to implement it in letter and spirit. He regretted that there was no implementation on a previous package which was given to the people displaced when it was constructed in 1967.

He said Rs300,000 will be offered to each newly affected person, and Rs200,000 to the earlier ones. In addition, a 5-marla plot will also be given to each person free of cost.

At the time of the construction of original Mangla Dam, land on the periphery of the reservoir was acquired up to El. 1210 ft. For the raised Mangla Dam reservoir, additional land up to El. 1250 ft., measuring 15,780 acres, will be acquired. About 79 per cent of the land acquisition will be in AJK and the remaining in Punjab. By raising the dam, 44,000 persons will be displaced and about 8,000 houses will be affected.

When completed in 1967, Mangla reservoir had a gross storage capacity of 5.88 MAF, which by now has been reduced to 4.68 MAF. The capacity will be reduced further to 4.50 MAF by the time the raising of the dam is completed in 2007.

Since its completion, the gross storage capacity of Mangla reservoir has been reduced by about 20 per cent due to sediments deposition. It is now being raised by 30ft to regain the reservoir capacity lost to sediment deposition and make provision of future sedimentation.

The president called upon the AJK government to develop area Mangla Dam area for tourists. “This place is so beautiful that it can immensely attract both local and foreign tourists.”

He said that a decision has also been taken to build two bridges at Dhan Gali and Islam Ghar in Mirpur city by Wapda and NHA.

The fishing rights, he said, will also be given to the AJK government. “The government has decided to develop a new Mirpur city in Azad Kashmir with all kinds of facilities.”

The president said Kashmir was the “jugular vein” of Pakistan and both could not be separated from each other.

He said that a radio station at Mirpur would be shortly inaugurated by Minister for Information, Nisar Memon, who was present there. The transmission of this 100KW radio station could also be heard in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, he said. Six new grid stations will also be installed. Similarly, GSM system worth 5,000 lines were being provided for Mirpur city.

Others who spoke on the occasion included, the president and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir and Chairman Wapda. Governor Punjab also was there. Mirpur, the president said, was being offered gas.