‘Issues concerning Dassu project to be resolved’

MANSEHRA: Hazara Division Commissioner Amjad Ali Khan has assured a jirga that all issues related to resettlement of displaced families and acquisition of land for 4,300-megawatts Dassu hydropower project would be settled within the ambit of law.

The development came at a jirga attended by Upper Kohistan Deputy Commissioner Hamidur Rehman and elders of Upper Kohistan. The DC told reporters after the jirga that the elders expressed reservations about the displacement of families from Sigloo village and acquisition of the land. The official assured them that all things would be settled within the parameters of the law. He said that after the assurance by the commissioner, the jirga elders announced to allow the district administration to conduct a survey of families who would be displaced and regarding the acquisition of land for the dam. “We have to acquire over 80,000 kanals land for the dam and many villages would also be relocated to safe places; the survey will determine where to settle the population of those villages,” the deputy commissioner said.

The official said another round of the jirga would be held next week where modalities with families being displaced would be discussed.