Land acquisition period for Dasu power project extended

MANSEHRA: The federal government has extended the land acquisition period for the 4300 megawatts Dasu Hydropower project from August to December 2020.

“We had scheduled to acquire 7600 acre of land for this mega power project till August this year but now this period has been extended up to December because of the current coronavirus emergency in the country. And I am optimistic we will acquire this land within the stipulated period,” Anwarul Haq, the general manager Dasu Hydropower project, told reporters on Wednesday.

He said that an important meeting to review the progress of the mega power project was held with the secretary water, Muhammad Ashraf, which discussed land acquisition and other issues in detail.

“The secretary expressed his satisfaction on the progress of ongoing work and stressed for the early completion of 47 development schemes of health, education and other sectors being executed for welfare of the affected families,” said the GM. He added that the federal government had enhanced the price of land being acquired for the dam from Rs19 billion to Rs36 billion on the demand of the landowners. “As the landowners are being offered the price of their choice for the 7600 acre of land, I am optimistic we will acquire this land within a stipulated period till end of December this year,” he added.

The general manager of Dasu dam said that that the mega hydropower project, which was being built at Dasu, the district headquarters of Upper Kohistan, would be completed on time.