LAHORE, April 25: “Some invisible political forces are out to kill the Mangla’s raising project and the plan runs the risk of becoming controversial like the Kalabagh dam,” fears Wapda on Friday.

Briefing newsmen on the causes of failure to sign the final agreement on the project, due on 14th of this month, with the AJK government, the authority claimed that the three members — power, water and finance — went to Islamabad on the fixed date to sign the deal with the AJK, but was told at the airport that no one from the other side had turned up.

“Nothing has been conveyed officially to the authority by the AJK government about its failure to be at the ceremony,” they claimed, adding a stream of ‘inspired press reports’ accusing Wapda of backtracking have appeared in different sections of the press.” This impression was not true, they said.

Negotiating an unprecedented compensation package for the affected people, Wapda had shown a commitment towards the project, they added.

According to member water Ahmad Khan Bhatti, Rs27 billion had been earmarked for the re-settlement of the affected people out of the total cost of Rs62 billion that included mark-up. “That means the re-settlement cost is more than the actual project price. This is unprecedented.”

All those affected would be paid more than the market price of their houses and land consumed by the project. In spite of paying market price for agriculture land, the affected people would still had a right to cultivate it during Rabi, and they would be able to sow one crop every year, he said.

He said: “That means they will still own the land in spite of getting the price. Minimum compensation amount, even for those having a one-room house, has been fixed at Rs300,000. A city and four towns will be constructed for the affected people,” Mr Bhatti claimed.

He said a bridge at Dhan Ghali would be constructed at the project cost and the requirements for irrigation water would be met by Indus River System Authority. The authority had also withdrawn claims of over Rs900 million outstanding against the AJK.

In these circumstances, the authority could not be blamed for any delay or mishandling of the project, the member water said.

Asghar Ali Randhawa, member power, explained the tariff package being offered to the AJK people. Average cost per unit for the rest of the country was Rs5.11 whereas the AJK would be provided the same at Rs4.20, he said.

He said the authority had also agreed to bear 17 per cent line losses which would cost Rs0.71 per unit. Besides, he said, the Pakistan government agreed to pick up Rs1.05 per unit subsidy that reduced the tariff rate further to Rs2.44 per unit. In case of budgetary constraints with the AJK government, the Pakistan government also promised additional help of Rs0.12 per unit. These rates were frozen for one year and a committee had been formed to finalize the post-September 2003 tariff arrangements, he said.

Mr Randhawa also claimed that the authority agreed to construct six grid stations along with associated transmission lines. The AJK would will also get Rs0.15 per unit hydel profits, which came to around Rs500 million.

Member Finance Javed Nizam claimed that the authority had more than 19 meetings at the highest level, including those with President Musharraf, prime minister and the AJK chief secretary. A final meeting was held on Sept 26, 2002, in which all the issues were resolved amicably and the compensation package approved. The cabinet division issued the minutes of the meeting, explaining salient features of the package, he said.