Power Line Dispute: Kohala natives end protest, agree to talk

MUZAFFARABAD: People affected by a high-power transmission line, planned from Kohala to Muzaffarabad, agreed to end their protest and negotiate with the authorities. Work on the project had been suspended for the past two-months owing to protests by locals over a dispute on paying compensation and environmental threats. The civil administration helped locals and Wapda to sort out their issues instead of resorting to violent protests and resorting to strong-arm techniques. DC Tehzibun Nisa had to use some tact to get both the parties to the table. She said that work to lay transmission lines between Kohala and Muzaffarabad under the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project had been halted by Kohala residents for the last two months. “We persuaded both sides to come to an agreement and resolve the issue amicably and a three-member committee has been constituted to this affect.”An official of National Transmission Development Company, a senior police officer and an assistant commissioner were on the committee which will hold talks with community representatives.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2017.