World Bank team visits Dasu hydropower project

MANSEHRA: A World Bank team on Friday visited 4300 megawatts Dasu Hydropower Project site and met the district administration officials and locals after Executive Committee on the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved an increase in land price acquired for the mega energy project last month.

The WB team witnessed construction work on the central tunnel and bridges and expressed satisfaction at the pace of work but demanded authorities to expedite it.

Mohammad Anwar, the project director of Dasu dam, briefed the visiting delegation of the work progress, saying that locals were cooperating with the administration.

The 80-member committee, representing landowners, met the WB team and expressed satisfaction at the increase in the prices and said they would cooperate with Wapda and district administration in timely completion of the project. The visiting team met Deputy Commissioner Arif Khan Yousafzai at his office and received information about the land acquisition process underway in the district. “We have been working dedicatedly to accomplish land acquisition process so that this hydropower project could meet electricity shortfall in the country,” he said.

The official said the landowners and affected people were fully cooperating with the district administration.

He said it was a mega project, which might bring a positive change in the lives of people, besides meeting electricity shortfall in the country.