Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said on Friday that 3,200 out of 3,400 kanals of land had been handed over to the Neelum Jhelum Project authority of the AJK government.
He added that affected people were being paid through AJK’s revenue department as per the draft agreement between the Ministry of Water and Power, Wapda and the AJK government.
The Economic Coordination Committee, on recommendations of a ministerial committee constituted by the prime minister, has also approved increase in the compensation rate for people affected by Diamer Basha Dam, Ashraf said. The affected people had rejected the rates set by Chilas Deputy Commissioner in 2008.
The acquisition of land for Diamer Basha Dam project is being done through the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) administration and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government, Ashraf said.
Wapda has already transferred Rs700 million to the government of G-B for acquisition of land in Thore Colony, he added.
To ensure a fair and transparent compensation to the people, the minister said, a joint measurement of land and evaluation of properties will be conducted by Wapda in collaboration with the local administration.
Wapda’s General Manager of Land Acquisition and Resettlement will supervise the completion of Diamer Basha Dam and follow the Asian Development Bank’s Social Safeguard Policy, which “aims to avoid, minimize, or mitigate harmful environmental impacts, social costs, and to help borrowers/clients strengthen their safeguard systems”, according to the bank’s website.
The minister said the net hydel profit generated from Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project will be paid as per government policy. Wapda will distribute the profit generated between G-B and K-P, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2011.
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