The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Friday inked an agreement with Heidelberg Academy’s Institute for Rock Carvings and Inscriptions along the Karakoram Highway to formulate a cultural heritage management plan for Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project here at WAPDA House.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Multi-purpose Project was vital for economy of the country. In addition to taking all possible measures for initiating construction work on the main project in the shortest possible time, WAPDA is equally focused on implementing the Resettlement Action Plan including conservation of the cultural heritage of the project area in line with international safeguard policies, he said.
Underlining the significance of the project region in terms of its unique cradling of the pre-historic rock carvings and diverse cultures which exist there, the Chairman said that WAPDA, in collaboration with the firm of international repute such as Heidelberg Academy’s Institute for Rock Carvings and Inscriptions along the Karakoram Highway, has decided to devise a deeply thought out action plan to conserve this unique heritage and enable the local populace to gain economic benefits from its conservation. The formulation of the cultural heritage management plan in a period of six months would provide an appropriate line of action for conservation of the area to be affected by Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project, he added. It is pertinent to mention that the Federal Government through WAPDA is implementing the Diamer-Bhasha Dam as a priority project.
