Vawda briefed on Dasu Hydropower project land compensation issue

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (APP):Federal Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Faisal Vawda was briefed on Tuesday that land affected people of Dasu Hydropower dam project had agreed to accept compensation of built-up properties in larger national interest.
“The potential affectees of the Dasu Hydropower dam project area have agreed to accept the compensation of built up properties and taking escalation on the negotiated land rates without pressing on change of land categories in larger national interest so that the acquisition process can be put on fast track,” Senior Member Board of Revenue Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Commissioner Hazara Division apprised the minister during 14th Steering Committee meeting of Dasu Dam Hydropower Project.
The meeting, chaired by Faisal Vawda, was attended among others by senior officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, WAPDA and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
According to a press release, re-categorization of land from rural to semi-urban and semi-urban to urban was a long standing demand of the local people which is now off the discussion table. “This can be termed as a significant move forward towards land acquisition for the Dasu Hydropower project.”
However, the locals of the area have demanded that the land rates have appreciated since the last negotiations held in 2015.
Vawda directed the project team to work out a formula with rational basis to calculate the rate of appreciation in the land rates which would increase land cost, for which approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council was required approval.
Dasu Hydropower project will have total installed capacity of 4,320 Mega Watts of electricity with 12 generating units and is among the priority projects under the National Water Policy.