Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) initiated four development schemes on Friday worth Rs 645 million in the vicinity of Mangla Dam Raising Project as confidence building measures, besides spending a hefty amount of Rs 70 billion on compensation of land and resettlement works for victims of the project. These new schemes included dualisation of Mangla-Mirpur Road and three Public Parks.
Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of the schemes, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that Wapda and its leadership did a tremendous job in completing Mangla Dam Raising Project and fulfilling their commitments vis-à-vis compensation package for the victims. He also thanked Wapda for undertaking additional development schemes in AJK.
AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob appreciated Wapda for not only completing the project of immense importance but also implementing the agreement inked for resettlement and rehabilitation of the victims in letter and spirit. Speaking on the occasion Wapda Chairman Syed Raghib Shah said that Wapda started additional development schemes in view of its corporate social responsibility, adding that all the four schemes would be completed in six months. He vowed to actively execute resettlement and rehabilitation agreements in case of all other water and hydropower projects being constructed in the country including AJK.
Dilating upon the benefits of Mangla Dam Raising Project, Wapda Chairman said that the project will be instrumental in socio-economic uplift of the country. The project will provide 2.9 million acre feet of additional water for agriculture and generate 644 million additional units of electricity annually from the existing Mangla Hydel Power Station, he added.
Earlier, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed laid foundation stone of dualisation of Mangla-Mirpur Road, while Wapda Chairman Syed Raghib Shah, former Wapda Chairman Shakil Durrani and AJK Chief Secretary Muhammed Shehzad Arbab laid foundation stones of the three Wapda Public Parks.
