Dubair Khawar power project: Houses, roads inundated in Lower Kohistan as spillways opened

MANSEHRA: Many houses and roads were washed away in the Ranolia and Dubair areas of Lower Kohistan after the Wapda opened spillways of the Dubair Khawar hydropower project to release the extra water on Thursday.

The road, which links Ranolia and adjoining dozens of villages with the Karakoram Highway at central Dubair town and many mud houses were washed away in the Kasho Bala area of Lower Kohistan when the Wapda discharged water from the Dubair Khawar hydropower projects at about 2 pm. According to locals, the Dubair stream, which was also flowing at its extreme because of continuous rains in recent days, swelled to the flooding after Wapda opened spillways of the dam and inundated a wide area.

The locals had warned Wapda earlier against discharging water from the dam in recent days but to no avail. Tehsil chairman of Bankhaid Ranolia Maulana Fazal Wahab and locals, including Juma Shah Jallali, Murad Khan and Sarang Zeb, criticised the Wapda for opening the spillways.

“We have already been demanding Wapda to ensure prior information before discharging water from the dam. And instead of addressing our grievances, it once again released water in the stream, which triggered flooding,” Maulana Fazal said.

Jalali told the forum that owing to the non-availability of healthcare services in the areas, women were being delivered on their way to hospitals in other cities.