MANSEHRA: Residents of Siren valley here have demanded jobs in Jabbori hydropower project which is being constructed on Siren River in the valley.

“We will welcome construction of even more hydropower projects in the valley, but the local community should be given due share in jobs,” said Abdul Wajid while talking to mediapersons on Saturday.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has recently started work on 10MW Jabbori hydropower project and on completion it could meet the electricity demand of the districts of Hazara division.

Mr Wajid, who leads a group of people whose land has been acquired for the project, claimed that the company awarded contract of the project by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was not appointing the local people at the project.

“I request the company to ask its local management to show flexibility and induct local people at the low cadre jobs,” he said.

Mr Khan said that the people had been extending full cooperation to such projects. He said that people of Bagga Balla Schain where the main water source of the dam was located had been ignored in recruitment for the project.

Gul Zafran, a landowner whose 12 kanals were acquired for the project, said that he was still not been given the compensation and his land was yet to be brought in the revenue record of acquired land.

He said that the tunnel was also passing through his land, but he was yet to receive the compensation.

“We are happy that this project would not only bring prosperity to the backward area, but also promote tourism in the valley. The local people should also be given due share in jobs,” he said.

He said that people of the valley had been facing prolonged power outages even after giving their agricultural land for the dam project.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2015

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