Mangla dam raising project victims: Rs 56 billion allocated for rehabilitation

Huge funds of Rs 56 billion have been earmarked for disbursement as compensation among the victims of the under-construction gigantic project of raising the country second biggest Mangla dam. Out of allocated funds, over Rs 36 billion have been disbursed among the victims of the Mangla dam raising project as compensation against their affected properties as well as for their resettlement and rehabilitation.
This was disclosed by Commissioner Mangla Dam Affairs Chaudhry Amir Afzal while addressing a high level meeting of his organisation besides talking to a representative delegation of the Mangla dam victims here on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended among others by Joint Commissioner Mangla Dam affairs Mahmood Khan, collector Mangla Dam Affairs Chaudhry Mukhtar Hussain, Director M & E Asif Mahmood and other senior officials of the organisation.
Chaudhry Afzal said that Mangla Dam Resettlement Organisation was actively engaged in the work for the resettlement and rehabilitation of over 50,000 affected population falling displaced due to the ongoing mega project of uplifting of the Mangla Dam.
To achieve the rehabilitation task, the construction work for the establishment of New Mirpur city and four other towns, one each at Islamgarh, Chakswari, Dadayal and Siakh, exclusively to house the dam victims, was rapidly in progress and close to completion, he said adding that at the same time the allotment of plots in New Mirpur city to the affected families has yet been started.
Engr Amir Afzal said that issues related to the rehabilitation of the Mangla dam affectees were being resolved swiftly after all possible steps were taken for the purpose. He said that rehabilitation and resettlement of Mangla dam affectees was the prime responsibility of the government and this responsibility was being performed in the light of the needs of hour to facilitate the affectees with all basic necessities of life in the new residential locations including New Mirpur garden city and four towns.