PESHAWAR: The 300 megawatts (MW) Balakot Power Project has been delayed due to the slow pace of land procurement as local people are refusing to provide their land on rates fixed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government.
It is pertinent to note that the Asian Development Bank (ADP) approved the loan facility for the project and an agreement in this regard was signed in March, this year. The dam will be constructed in KP’s Balakot district at the cost of Rs85 billion.
The foundation stone of the project was expected to be laid in May, however, several key issues regarding land acquisition are pending. The donor has directed the authorities responsible to start work after completing the purchase of the land.
Officials privy to the matter informed Profit that land has yet to be purchased at several sites, including Paras, Bela Sacha and Sanghar.
Sources also informed that local people are not ready to provide their land at the rate fixed by the deputy commissioner as they are of the view that the market rate is much higher.
Special Assistant for Population Welfare Syed Ahmed Hussain Shah has held several meetings with the locals in this regard but they have refused to accept the official rates. As a result, the mega power project is being delayed further.
