Manchora Dam: Owners want govt to enhance land price

MANSEHRA: The landowners on Saturday demanded the government to enhance the price of their land acquired for the multipurpose Manchora Dam in Oghi tehsil of the district.

“The land was acquired for the dam and its catchment areas some eight years ago, but we are still waiting for the payment,” said Raj Muhammad, a representative of affected landowners.

Flanked by dozens of affected people, he said that the government was offering them Rs24000 per kanal for their land which it had acquired in 2016, adding they would never accept such a meagre amount for their prime land.

“We want the market price of our land acquired by the government for the dam. We will launch a street agitation if our demand is not met,” Raj added.

“We will move the court of law against non-payment of our dues in accordance with market price,” said Summer Gul, another member of the action committee.

He said that the government was paying market rates to owners whose land was acquired for the Dasu Hydropower Project in Kohistan and Suki Kinari Hydropower project in Kaghan valley.

“Eight years have passed since our land has been acquired for this dam, but the government is still reluctant to clear our dues in accordance with the market price,” he added.

Another landowner, Moman Khan made it clear that they were not against the execution of that dam, which would produce electricity and irrigate widely stretched agricultural land in Agror and Tanawal. “We only want the government should clear our dues first,” he added.