Land being acquired for Balakot power project: official

MANSEHRA: The district administration has started the process for acquiring over 8000 kanals of land for the construction of the 300 megawatts Balakot Hydropower project in the district.

“We have been acquiring land for this energy project which is being executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation at Kunhar River in the Kaghan valley,” Dr Qasim Ali Khan, told reporters on Tuesday.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had given the go-ahead to the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) for the execution of Balakot energy project in March this year after the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved $750 million for it.

The deputy commissioner, who is also the district collector, said that following the imposition of the section-4 of the land acquisition Act 1894, other formalities were being completed to pay the payments to owners.

“We have been acquiring land in Bala Schain, Paras, Ghanool and Sangar patwar circles and the district revenue department teams are actively pursuing the task in their respective areas,” Dr Qasim said.

The bidding and contractors’ hiring process for the construction of the project has already been completed and for the purpose a consortium of companies is also finalised.The Pedo would execute the Balakot hydropower project at Kunhar River downstream where 880 megawatts Suki Kinari Hydropower project was rapidly nearing its completion.The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has been executing that major energy project in the province with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank.