LAHORE, Jan 6: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), in consultation with stakeholders, is finalising a policy for resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected people for its future projects with prime focus on Diamer Basha Dam.

Chairman Shakil Durrani said this at the inaugural session of a two-day stakeholders’ seminar on resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected of Diamer Basha Dam Project at Wapda Administrative Staff College on Thursday.

The chairman added the rehabilitation and resettlement component was as important in a project as the engineering component was. Wapda was consulting all stakeholders to make an action plan for the purpose, he added. He said all possible measures were being taken to have a positive impact on the life of the people who would be affected due to the construction of Diamer Basha Dam Project.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Robin Raphel and Asian Development Bank Country Director Rone Stroem also addressed the seminar also committed all possible support for the project.

Vaqar Zakariya from Hagler Baillay Pakistan said the Diamer Basha Dam could be used as a vehicle for regional transformation. GB Health Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the GB Legislative Assembly Bashir Ahmed, former GB Legislative Assembly member Syeda Fauzia Saleem Abbas assured Wapda of their support.

Wapda General Manger (land acquisition and resettlement) Dr Raheel Ahmed said the land acquisition was to be completed by 2012.

Diamer Basha Dam, the largest project ever executed in the history of Pakistan, will store 8.1 million acre feet of water and generate 4,500MW of low-cost hydel electricity on its completion. The project once completed will contribute 18 billion units of electricity per annum to the national grid.

The dam will exert a healthy impact on the generation of Tarbela Power House, which will produce one billion units more in addition to its existing contribution.