Mangla Dam victims get Rs 37 billion against loss of built-up property

At least Rs 37 billion, out of earmarked Rs 47 billion, have so far been disbursed among the affectees of the ongoing Mangla Dam raising project as award against their immoveable/built-up property affected during the raising of the country's second biggest reservoir.
Disclosing this Mangla Dam Resettlement Organisation Commissioner Chaudhry Munir Hussain told APP here Friday that at least 74,000 people would be affected due to raising of the dam. He said the compensatory amount of Rs 200, 000 per family had already been awarded to the old affectees of Mangla dam.
The Commissioner revealed that according to the existing time frame determined by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the Mangla Dam raising project would be ready by September 30 this year. It may be recalled that ground breaking of about Rs 110 billion Mangla Dam raising project was conducted on the same date in 2002.
Elaborating, Chaudhry said that development works were in progress in New Mirpur garden city, located in the outskirts of existing Mirpur city. Similarly, small model towns are being constructed in Islamgarh, Chakswari, Dadayal and Siakh respectively on an area of 1500 kanal, 1750 kanal, 1500 kanal and 500 kanal of land for providing residential facilities to the displaced families.
He said that process of allotment of plots to the Mangla dam affectees was in progress. To a question, he said that the end of the coming fiscal year would complete the new residential sites. He said that the allottees would be given 10 to 12 months for construction of their houses and shifting to the New Mirpur city and small towns.
Referring to other Pakistan government-sponsored development projects in the wake of the mega Mangla dam raising project, the Commissioner said that construction work on rupees five billion greater water supply and sewerage project for existing Mirpur city and the adjoining hamlets had yet been started and it would complete within the stipulated time.
He further said the construction work on AJK's first-ever three kilometre-long cable-stay Rathua-Harrayam bridge over huge Mangla Dam reservoir, linking Mirpur city with adjoining Islamgarh town, had also been started. The project will cost over rupees two billion, he added.
At present, the approach roads at either side of the bridge were being constructed, he said, adding the ground distance between Mirpur city and Islamgarh town would reduce to a greater extent, benefiting the local population frequently travelling between the two areas. Chaudhry said that two dikes, one each at thickly-populated Panayam and Kharak towns, were also emerging due to raising of the dam.