Hermoine Green
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07 years almost....
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Contact the PP Team
Diamer-Bhasha and other proposed dams under construction in Pakistan
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07 years almost....
Greenstorm
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Add Bunji dam in the list as well.
Syed1
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I hope Akhori and Bunji are added next.
Mamoon
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The dam is being built by the generals. They only took Imran with them for company.
A government that cannot build a metro bus cannot even spell Diamer-Bhasha let alone build a dam there.
If it was left to PTI, this dam would have become another BRT.
Nonetheless, this is the fourth or fifth inauguration and we have seen this bhangras before. Hopefully this is the last one.
A government that cannot build a metro bus cannot even spell Diamer-Bhasha let alone build a dam there.
If it was left to PTI, this dam would have become another BRT.
Nonetheless, this is the fourth or fifth inauguration and we have seen this bhangras before. Hopefully this is the last one.
Abdullah719
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Mangla, Tarbela dams filled to maximum capacity
LAHORE: The two mega water reservoirs of Mangla and Tarbela have been filled to their maximum capacity last night, resulting in the record availability of water in the two dams, which is being regarded a good omen for agriculture and hydel power generation in Pakistan in the days to come.
The cumulative quantum of water available at present in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs stands at 13.336 million acre feet (MAF) which is a record of water availability during the last 10 years.
According to the statistics, water level in Mangla and Tarbela is 1242 feet and 1550 feet respectively above mean sea level. Water available in the two dams is 2.173 MAF more if compared with the average of last 10 years. It is worth mentioning here that average water availability in the two dams during the last 10 years on the day recorded as 11.163 MAF.
This better hydrological situation will aptly fulfil the requirement of water for agriculture in the country for the days to come. The more water in the reservoirs will also result in more hydel generation in the coming days.
It is pertinent to mention that WAPDA hydel power stations have been providing more than 8500 MW for the last two consecutive days and hydel generation may touch 9000 MW mark.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40015223/mangla-tarbela-dams-filled-to-maximum-capacity
LAHORE: The two mega water reservoirs of Mangla and Tarbela have been filled to their maximum capacity last night, resulting in the record availability of water in the two dams, which is being regarded a good omen for agriculture and hydel power generation in Pakistan in the days to come.
The cumulative quantum of water available at present in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs stands at 13.336 million acre feet (MAF) which is a record of water availability during the last 10 years.
According to the statistics, water level in Mangla and Tarbela is 1242 feet and 1550 feet respectively above mean sea level. Water available in the two dams is 2.173 MAF more if compared with the average of last 10 years. It is worth mentioning here that average water availability in the two dams during the last 10 years on the day recorded as 11.163 MAF.
This better hydrological situation will aptly fulfil the requirement of water for agriculture in the country for the days to come. The more water in the reservoirs will also result in more hydel generation in the coming days.
It is pertinent to mention that WAPDA hydel power stations have been providing more than 8500 MW for the last two consecutive days and hydel generation may touch 9000 MW mark.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40015223/mangla-tarbela-dams-filled-to-maximum-capacity
FearlessRoar
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The long-anticipated state-of-the-art Daducha Dam project, which will ensure a daily supply of 35 million gallons of water to the garrison city, will be completed in two years at a cost of over Rs7 billion, sources said on Saturday.
On Friday, Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the contract holder for the project, started working at the dam site after bringing machinery. The dam was proposed in 2001 and its contract was awarded to the FWO after 19 years, in 2020.
Daducha Dam is being built in Daducha, a small village on the outskirts of Rawalpindi. A total of 16,194 kanals of land have been acquired in Rawalpindi and Kallar Syedan for the construction of the project.
After the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) took notice of not applying the market rate in the acquisition of land, finally the land owners were paid according to the market rate for their land acquired for the dam.
During a recent visit to the dam site, Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha said the dam was 123 feet high and 737 feet long and had a catchment area of 129 square miles. “The revenue staff concerned will carry out landmarking or survey from the site station which will remove the ambiguity,” he said, adding a deadline of two years was set to complete the project.
The commissioner said: “We will try our best to complete this project of public interest on time. Building a dam is the need of the hour.”
The commissioner added that in light of the apex court’s decision, the local population was being given the value of their land according to the prevalent rate. “The construction of the dam will benefit Rawalpindi and its suburbs,” he said as he reviewed in detail the machinery and other preparations of the FWO to start the work on the dam.
On this occasion, Station Commander Ahmed Nawaz, Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Qamar Kayani, AG Office, Executive Engineer Small Dams Organisation, Saddar Assistant Commissioner Almas Sabih, AC Revenue Shamsur Rehman and FWO officials were also present.
With the completion of the Daducha Dam project in two years, the citizens of Rawalpindi will get clean water according to their needs. With a daily supply of 35 million gallons of water, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) will not have to depend on tube wells.
WASA sources say that by supplying water from the Daducha dam, not only clean and potable water will be available to the citizens as per their needs, but by reducing its dependence on the tube wells, Wasa will also be able to get rid of heavy electricity bills.
Daducha is a 400-year-old village that is the centre of the Gakhars and Kiyani caste while there are several Rajput households in the area. This place is quite suitable for a dam as a large part of it is like a natural dam.
The water will come from the natural springs and large rain drains of the hilly tehsil Kahuta and its surrounding small hills. Its catchment area is more than that of Rawal Dam. It will have a storage capacity of 60,000 acre-feet of water while its dead-level surface will be 15,000 acre-feet.
Source: Express Tribune
tribune.com.pk
On Friday, Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the contract holder for the project, started working at the dam site after bringing machinery. The dam was proposed in 2001 and its contract was awarded to the FWO after 19 years, in 2020.
Daducha Dam is being built in Daducha, a small village on the outskirts of Rawalpindi. A total of 16,194 kanals of land have been acquired in Rawalpindi and Kallar Syedan for the construction of the project.
After the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) took notice of not applying the market rate in the acquisition of land, finally the land owners were paid according to the market rate for their land acquired for the dam.
During a recent visit to the dam site, Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha said the dam was 123 feet high and 737 feet long and had a catchment area of 129 square miles. “The revenue staff concerned will carry out landmarking or survey from the site station which will remove the ambiguity,” he said, adding a deadline of two years was set to complete the project.
The commissioner said: “We will try our best to complete this project of public interest on time. Building a dam is the need of the hour.”
The commissioner added that in light of the apex court’s decision, the local population was being given the value of their land according to the prevalent rate. “The construction of the dam will benefit Rawalpindi and its suburbs,” he said as he reviewed in detail the machinery and other preparations of the FWO to start the work on the dam.
On this occasion, Station Commander Ahmed Nawaz, Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Qamar Kayani, AG Office, Executive Engineer Small Dams Organisation, Saddar Assistant Commissioner Almas Sabih, AC Revenue Shamsur Rehman and FWO officials were also present.
With the completion of the Daducha Dam project in two years, the citizens of Rawalpindi will get clean water according to their needs. With a daily supply of 35 million gallons of water, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) will not have to depend on tube wells.
WASA sources say that by supplying water from the Daducha dam, not only clean and potable water will be available to the citizens as per their needs, but by reducing its dependence on the tube wells, Wasa will also be able to get rid of heavy electricity bills.
Daducha is a 400-year-old village that is the centre of the Gakhars and Kiyani caste while there are several Rajput households in the area. This place is quite suitable for a dam as a large part of it is like a natural dam.
The water will come from the natural springs and large rain drains of the hilly tehsil Kahuta and its surrounding small hills. Its catchment area is more than that of Rawal Dam. It will have a storage capacity of 60,000 acre-feet of water while its dead-level surface will be 15,000 acre-feet.
Source: Express Tribune
Daducha Dam to be completed within two years | The Express Tribune
Sources say project will ensure daily supply of 35m gallons of water to Rawalpindi
tribune.com.pk
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Prehistoric rock carvings in Bhasha Dam area to be digitised
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has embarked on a plan, involving site documentation and consolidation, as well as archiving and modelling of the prehistoric rock carvings and inscriptions, which would be submerged in the reservoir of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
Under a Rs46.5 million deal, Wapda acquired the consultancy services of the Quality Solutions Technologies for digitisation of the significant rock carvings in the direct area of impact of the dam with modelling and preparation of data for 3D printing, a Wapda spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“The plan aims at preservation of prehistoric rock carvings and inscriptions to be submerged in water reservoir of Diamer Bhasha Dam, setting up a museum and promotion of cultural tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly in Chilas and its suburban areas,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Plans for the constructing the Diamer-Bhasha Dam were initiated in the 1980s and the first feasibility report commissioned in 1984. At that time, the proponent of the dam sought to address the issue of the project’s impact upon culture.
In 2009, a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (CHIA) was conducted by national and international experts. In 2020, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) was prepared by international consultants Dr Harald Hauptmann, Feryal Ali Gauhar, Dr Qasim Jan, and Yasmeen Lari.
The plan recommended that the most significant carvings that were to be submerged by the reservoir of the dam be preserved by record in order to fulfil obligations under Articles 19, 21, and 22 of the Antiquities Act (Federal) of 1975, the spokesperson said.
“Today, Wapda awarded the contract for the digital documentation of the most significant carvings… The digital archive will be acquired through 3D scanning cameras to provide a database for research as well as for future replication of each scanned carving through a 3D printing process.”
The process of digitisation of preservation by record would be overseen by Gauhar, Adviser for the Cultural Heritage Management of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project. According to the statement, the digital archive would be handed over to the Gilgit-Baltistan government for research and display.
The dam is being constructed in northern Pakistan, which serves as a repository of rich cultural heritage comprising immense number of rock carvings. The CHMP recommends the digital preservation of 175-200 most significant rock carvings, which represent various historic periods and aesthetic style.
Tribune
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has embarked on a plan, involving site documentation and consolidation, as well as archiving and modelling of the prehistoric rock carvings and inscriptions, which would be submerged in the reservoir of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
Under a Rs46.5 million deal, Wapda acquired the consultancy services of the Quality Solutions Technologies for digitisation of the significant rock carvings in the direct area of impact of the dam with modelling and preparation of data for 3D printing, a Wapda spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“The plan aims at preservation of prehistoric rock carvings and inscriptions to be submerged in water reservoir of Diamer Bhasha Dam, setting up a museum and promotion of cultural tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly in Chilas and its suburban areas,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Plans for the constructing the Diamer-Bhasha Dam were initiated in the 1980s and the first feasibility report commissioned in 1984. At that time, the proponent of the dam sought to address the issue of the project’s impact upon culture.
In 2009, a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (CHIA) was conducted by national and international experts. In 2020, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) was prepared by international consultants Dr Harald Hauptmann, Feryal Ali Gauhar, Dr Qasim Jan, and Yasmeen Lari.
The plan recommended that the most significant carvings that were to be submerged by the reservoir of the dam be preserved by record in order to fulfil obligations under Articles 19, 21, and 22 of the Antiquities Act (Federal) of 1975, the spokesperson said.
“Today, Wapda awarded the contract for the digital documentation of the most significant carvings… The digital archive will be acquired through 3D scanning cameras to provide a database for research as well as for future replication of each scanned carving through a 3D printing process.”
The process of digitisation of preservation by record would be overseen by Gauhar, Adviser for the Cultural Heritage Management of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project. According to the statement, the digital archive would be handed over to the Gilgit-Baltistan government for research and display.
The dam is being constructed in northern Pakistan, which serves as a repository of rich cultural heritage comprising immense number of rock carvings. The CHMP recommends the digital preservation of 175-200 most significant rock carvings, which represent various historic periods and aesthetic style.
Tribune
Major
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Varun
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This didn't age well either.
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These dams have been under construction for ages. I wonder why they have not been completed yet? All talks and no show. All the governments that came into power in Pakistan, they re just doing politics on dams nothing else.
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Karakoram Highway blocked as protesters demand compensation promised for Diamer Bhasha Dam
Affectees of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer Bhasha Dam blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) on Wednesday in protest against Wapda for failure to pay compensation promised to them for leaving their lands for the dam’s construction.
The protesters were demanding pending payments for the Chula (stove) Package which entitles them to financial assistance before departure from their houses acquired for the Dasu hydropower project.
The action committee of the Diamer Bhasha Dam called the sit-in and blocked the KKH, stranding hundreds of vehicles on both sides of the road at the Gechi area of Chilas in GB’s Diamer district.
Diamer Deputy Commissioner (DC) Captain (retd) Muhammad Arif told Dawn.com that the protesters blocked the road and demanded their compensation payments pending with Wapda.
He said he held negotiations with the demonstrators and told them that he would convey their message to the Wapda chairman and other relevant officials, adding that the chairman’s visit was also expected next week but the protesters did not agree.
DC Arif said the road was opened for half an hour and stranded vehicles crossed the blockade but was blocked again as the protesters demanded the Wapda chairman meet them at the site of the sit-in.
Atiullah and Muhammad Iqbal, who led the sit-in, told the administration’s delegation that they would not leave the road until their demands were met and continued their protest.
Iqbal told Dawn.com via phone that the affectees were demanding Chula payments for a long time but the administration and Wapda officials “paid no heed” to their demands.
He said the affectees had sacrificed their lands to the country and in return, the government did not bother to provide the Chula payments to over 800 affectees which were promised to them in writing.
Source: Dawn News
Affectees of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer Bhasha Dam blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) on Wednesday in protest against Wapda for failure to pay compensation promised to them for leaving their lands for the dam’s construction.
The protesters were demanding pending payments for the Chula (stove) Package which entitles them to financial assistance before departure from their houses acquired for the Dasu hydropower project.
The action committee of the Diamer Bhasha Dam called the sit-in and blocked the KKH, stranding hundreds of vehicles on both sides of the road at the Gechi area of Chilas in GB’s Diamer district.
Diamer Deputy Commissioner (DC) Captain (retd) Muhammad Arif told Dawn.com that the protesters blocked the road and demanded their compensation payments pending with Wapda.
He said he held negotiations with the demonstrators and told them that he would convey their message to the Wapda chairman and other relevant officials, adding that the chairman’s visit was also expected next week but the protesters did not agree.
DC Arif said the road was opened for half an hour and stranded vehicles crossed the blockade but was blocked again as the protesters demanded the Wapda chairman meet them at the site of the sit-in.
Atiullah and Muhammad Iqbal, who led the sit-in, told the administration’s delegation that they would not leave the road until their demands were met and continued their protest.
Iqbal told Dawn.com via phone that the affectees were demanding Chula payments for a long time but the administration and Wapda officials “paid no heed” to their demands.
He said the affectees had sacrificed their lands to the country and in return, the government did not bother to provide the Chula payments to over 800 affectees which were promised to them in writing.
Source: Dawn News
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Wapda says Diamer-Bhasha compensation paid in 2015
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has claimed that land compensation for Diamer-Bhasha Dam and household packages has been paid to those affected by the project even before dam’s construction had begun.
A spokesperson for the Diamer-Bhasha dam said Wapda had completed payment of compensation amount for 91 per cent of the required land, disbursing over Rs51 billion to the affected people.
“Legal proceedings are underway for the remaining 9pc. Compensation for buildings, markets, and infrastructure was completed in 2015. The entire process was carried out by the Diamer district administration and the Gilgit-Baltistan government,” the spokesperson added.
Besides, he said, household (Chula) package payments were made to 3,826 of the 4,102 affected families. Additionally, the verification process was ongoing through the district administration for additional applicants who submitted their claims in 2024.
However, many premises including shops and petrol pumps for which Wapda has already paid compensation have not been vacated by the occupants till date, the spokesperson said.
In response to certain allegations levelled by protesters in Diamer recently, the spokesperson clarified that Wapda launched several major socio-economic development and basic infrastructure projects under confidence-building measures to enhance the quality of life of locals. The CBMs include projects worth Rs78bn in the education and health sectors as well as infrastructure development.
The spokesperson said that Wapda gave preference to locals in hiring for the dam project, recruiting locals for positions up to grade 16. Many also work with project consultants and contractors. Currently, he explained, thousands of employees were from the project area.
A total of 298 people from Gilgit-Baltistan are working on the Diamer-Bhasha Dam (reservoir part) while 354 are employed in LA&R and security section. In total 2,120 people from GB are working with Wapda, consultants and contractors of whom 1,600 are from Diamer.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam has a gross water storage capacity of 8.1MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of land. Power generation capacity of the project stands at 4,500MW, with annual energy generation of 18 billion units.
DAWN NEWS
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has claimed that land compensation for Diamer-Bhasha Dam and household packages has been paid to those affected by the project even before dam’s construction had begun.
A spokesperson for the Diamer-Bhasha dam said Wapda had completed payment of compensation amount for 91 per cent of the required land, disbursing over Rs51 billion to the affected people.
“Legal proceedings are underway for the remaining 9pc. Compensation for buildings, markets, and infrastructure was completed in 2015. The entire process was carried out by the Diamer district administration and the Gilgit-Baltistan government,” the spokesperson added.
Besides, he said, household (Chula) package payments were made to 3,826 of the 4,102 affected families. Additionally, the verification process was ongoing through the district administration for additional applicants who submitted their claims in 2024.
However, many premises including shops and petrol pumps for which Wapda has already paid compensation have not been vacated by the occupants till date, the spokesperson said.
In response to certain allegations levelled by protesters in Diamer recently, the spokesperson clarified that Wapda launched several major socio-economic development and basic infrastructure projects under confidence-building measures to enhance the quality of life of locals. The CBMs include projects worth Rs78bn in the education and health sectors as well as infrastructure development.
The spokesperson said that Wapda gave preference to locals in hiring for the dam project, recruiting locals for positions up to grade 16. Many also work with project consultants and contractors. Currently, he explained, thousands of employees were from the project area.
A total of 298 people from Gilgit-Baltistan are working on the Diamer-Bhasha Dam (reservoir part) while 354 are employed in LA&R and security section. In total 2,120 people from GB are working with Wapda, consultants and contractors of whom 1,600 are from Diamer.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam has a gross water storage capacity of 8.1MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of land. Power generation capacity of the project stands at 4,500MW, with annual energy generation of 18 billion units.
DAWN NEWS
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Diamer-Bhasha Dam protest enters seventh week
The sit-in by Diamer-Bhasha Dam affected persons entered its 42nd day on Friday as the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government and other stakeholders failed to strike a deal with the protesters.
Protesters in Chilas, Diamer’s district headquarters, said their 31-point character of demands was not met despite promises.
The ‘Huqooq Do, Dam Banao’ (Ensure the rights, build the dam) protest movement has gained public traction from across GB and is expected to intensify after Eid.
Protesters said they would not allow the construction of the dam unless their demands were met.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB Amir Muqam, who is also chairman of the committee constituted by the prime minister to address the grievances of the affectees, suggested that the protesters committee should sit with the government committee to resolve the issues.
The construction work on the periphery road, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda)and other dam construction companies’ offices in Chilas have been shut for the last 15 days. Several rounds of negotiations have failed to yield results.
Addressing protesters, the head of the protest movement committee Maulana Hazratullah said thousands of protesters continued their protest sit-in near KKH at Chilas despite harsh weather and Ramazan.
“No progress has been made on the implementation of our charter of demands for the last 40 days. Only committees are being formed and delaying tactics are being used. However, the protesters are committed to calling off the protest only after the fulfilment of their demands,” Mr Hazratullah said.
Shabir Ahmed Qureshi, another organiser of the protest, said recently, five religious scholars who were on a visit to Darel Valley to mobilise the public faced a road accident when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine near the Diamer Basha Dam site.
He said fortunately, all five religious scholars who are among the organisers of the protest remained unharmed in the incident.
Shabir Ahmed Qureshi said the unwanted situation was created by the negligence of both the federal and GB governments to settle the issue.
Maulana Aftab said people were committed to stand by their demands and the protest will be intensified after Eid.
The dam protest committee members met various political, religious and civil society organisations to seek their support for massive protests after Eid.
The organisers decided to continue their protest sit-in near KKH at Chilas during Eid days.
Their charter of demands includes the provision of 80 per cent royalty from the Diamer-Bhasha Dam and 30pc from the Dassu Dam to GB, free electricity generated by the project to the Diamer district and at a discounted rate to the people of GB.
It also includes payment of compensation for 18,000 acres acquired for the dam, financial package for the remaining 3,000 families affected by the mega project, commercial and residential plots, education, health, and sewerage projects, jobs for local at the dam project and regularisation of contingent and daily wage employees.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, an important meeting chaired by Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam was held in Islamabad.
In the meeting, other members of the committee including Federal Minister for Water Resources Moin Wattoo, Water and Wapda retired Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani, Secretary Ministry of Kashmir Affairs Gilgit-Baltistan Zafar Hassan, GB Chief Secretary Abrar Ahmed Mirza, officials from planning and development division participated.
The participants reviewed the demands of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam affectees in detail.
The meeting was informed that so far Rs151 billion has been issued as compensation for land and houses.
The federal minister said that although compensation of Rs151 billion has been given, the agreements of 2010 and 2015, which were signed between the Wapda, GB government and the dam affectees, will be implemented.
He said that the legitimate demands of the protesters will be addressed at all costs. The federal minister said that the cadet college, schools and health facilities in Chilas are also among their priorities.
DAWN NEWS
The sit-in by Diamer-Bhasha Dam affected persons entered its 42nd day on Friday as the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government and other stakeholders failed to strike a deal with the protesters.
Protesters in Chilas, Diamer’s district headquarters, said their 31-point character of demands was not met despite promises.
The ‘Huqooq Do, Dam Banao’ (Ensure the rights, build the dam) protest movement has gained public traction from across GB and is expected to intensify after Eid.
Protesters said they would not allow the construction of the dam unless their demands were met.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB Amir Muqam, who is also chairman of the committee constituted by the prime minister to address the grievances of the affectees, suggested that the protesters committee should sit with the government committee to resolve the issues.
The construction work on the periphery road, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda)and other dam construction companies’ offices in Chilas have been shut for the last 15 days. Several rounds of negotiations have failed to yield results.
Addressing protesters, the head of the protest movement committee Maulana Hazratullah said thousands of protesters continued their protest sit-in near KKH at Chilas despite harsh weather and Ramazan.
“No progress has been made on the implementation of our charter of demands for the last 40 days. Only committees are being formed and delaying tactics are being used. However, the protesters are committed to calling off the protest only after the fulfilment of their demands,” Mr Hazratullah said.
Shabir Ahmed Qureshi, another organiser of the protest, said recently, five religious scholars who were on a visit to Darel Valley to mobilise the public faced a road accident when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine near the Diamer Basha Dam site.
He said fortunately, all five religious scholars who are among the organisers of the protest remained unharmed in the incident.
Shabir Ahmed Qureshi said the unwanted situation was created by the negligence of both the federal and GB governments to settle the issue.
Maulana Aftab said people were committed to stand by their demands and the protest will be intensified after Eid.
The dam protest committee members met various political, religious and civil society organisations to seek their support for massive protests after Eid.
The organisers decided to continue their protest sit-in near KKH at Chilas during Eid days.
Their charter of demands includes the provision of 80 per cent royalty from the Diamer-Bhasha Dam and 30pc from the Dassu Dam to GB, free electricity generated by the project to the Diamer district and at a discounted rate to the people of GB.
It also includes payment of compensation for 18,000 acres acquired for the dam, financial package for the remaining 3,000 families affected by the mega project, commercial and residential plots, education, health, and sewerage projects, jobs for local at the dam project and regularisation of contingent and daily wage employees.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, an important meeting chaired by Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam was held in Islamabad.
In the meeting, other members of the committee including Federal Minister for Water Resources Moin Wattoo, Water and Wapda retired Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani, Secretary Ministry of Kashmir Affairs Gilgit-Baltistan Zafar Hassan, GB Chief Secretary Abrar Ahmed Mirza, officials from planning and development division participated.
The participants reviewed the demands of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam affectees in detail.
The meeting was informed that so far Rs151 billion has been issued as compensation for land and houses.
The federal minister said that although compensation of Rs151 billion has been given, the agreements of 2010 and 2015, which were signed between the Wapda, GB government and the dam affectees, will be implemented.
He said that the legitimate demands of the protesters will be addressed at all costs. The federal minister said that the cadet college, schools and health facilities in Chilas are also among their priorities.
DAWN NEWS
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