Work on Diamer-Basha Dam to start next week
Compensation to be given to displaced people over three years.
LAHORE:
After the completion of Mangla Dam capacity expansion project, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is planning to kick off work on Diamer-Basha Dam next week, said Sayed Raghib Abbas, Member Water of Wapda.
In a press briefing, he said the government had decided to start work on Diamer-Basha dam from October 18 as funds had been made available for the dam. The $11 billion project would produce 4,500 megawatts of electricity and store around 0.8 million acre feet of water. “Once completed, the life of Tarbela dam will increase by up to 35 years,” he said.
Abbas said the government had fixed the value of land to be acquired for the project and would pay compensation to the displaced people over a period of three years. He said the most difficult issue was the resettlement of displaced people as they did not want to leave the area. “In this case, we have to shift them somewhere close to where they are currently living.”
He said the project was delayed because of scarcity of funds, but “now the government has sufficient money to work on the dam without hiccups.” Abbas said Wapda had completed feasibility studies on almost all proposed dams but could not start work due to dearth of funds.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.
After the completion of Mangla Dam capacity expansion project, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is planning to kick off work on Diamer-Basha Dam next week, said Sayed Raghib Abbas, Member Water of Wapda.
In a press briefing, he said the government had decided to start work on Diamer-Basha dam from October 18 as funds had been made available for the dam. The $11 billion project would produce 4,500 megawatts of electricity and store around 0.8 million acre feet of water. “Once completed, the life of Tarbela dam will increase by up to 35 years,” he said.
Abbas said the government had fixed the value of land to be acquired for the project and would pay compensation to the displaced people over a period of three years. He said the most difficult issue was the resettlement of displaced people as they did not want to leave the area. “In this case, we have to shift them somewhere close to where they are currently living.”
He said the project was delayed because of scarcity of funds, but “now the government has sufficient money to work on the dam without hiccups.” Abbas said Wapda had completed feasibility studies on almost all proposed dams but could not start work due to dearth of funds.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.