Dam victims face fresh eviction threat

Victims of the Daducha Dam project have once again raised concerns over what they describe as continued displacement and uncertainty, alleging that they have been issued notices to vacate their ancestral land in Malikpur Azizal, located about 50 kilometres from the dam site.

According to the victims, many families whose land in Barwala village was acquired for the Daducha Dam project relocated to Malikpur Azizal after leaving behind around 82 kanals of lan

d in the reservoir area. They claim that nearly 50 per cent of the dam victims settled on 87 kanals of ancestral land in the village, where they have begun constructing homes and livestock sheds.

However, residents say they have now received "red notices" directing them to vacate the land or face an operation.

They allege they were informed that a large housing society is planned for the area.

"We were displaced from our original villages due to the dam project and moved to our ancestral land in Malikpur Azizal. Now we are being asked to leave this place as well. We do not know where we are supposed to go," said one of the victims.

The residents maintained that the Assistant Commissioner (Saddar), Rawalpindi, had previously conducted demarcation of the land and that official revenue records confirmed their ownership. They said they had also been issued ownership and demarcation certificates by the revenue department.

The victims termed any attempt to forcibly acquire or evict them from the land unjust and appealed to the Prime Minister, the Chief of Army Staff and the Punjab Chief Minister to take notice of the matter and ensure justice.

They warned that further displacement would leave dozens of families without a place to settle despite having already sacrificed land for the construction of the Daducha Dam project.