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Sunday, 30 October 2011 11:38

'False promises will not work'

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

'False promises will  not work' 
 
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: The chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Mehdi Shah, has assured the people of Diamer district that all-out efforts would be made to bring the backward area at par with other parts of the region.
Talking to a delegation from the area, the chief minister said that the affected people of the dam would be rehabilitated and paid proper compensation. He said the government was working on plans to provide all educational healthcare and other facilities to the people. 
While talking to another delegation from Hunza-Nagar, the chief minister also made tall claims and said that rehabilitation of the Attabad lake affected people was the top priority of the PPP government. 
He said that efforts were being made to compensate and rehabilitate the displaced people before the onset of the winter season and this Chinese help had already been sought. He said relief items including food supplies would be ensured while the damaged roads would also be built.
The chief minister said that the PPP government believed in the welfare of the people and was carrying out all possible measures to provide facilities to the people in the region without discrimination.
The chief minister is habitual of making tall claims with the masses and he should do so as a politician. But what can be done regarding reality on the ground. When we look at the track record of the PPP government, we see that all the mega projects in the region were launched by the military dictator Pervez Musharraf. From the Karakorum University to Diamer dam to many initiatives in the field of human rights, the PPP government ahs nothing to be proud of. Inn fact, all these projects were launched during the Musharraf era. Even the renaming of the region as Gilgit-Baltistan was also promised by Gen Musharraf. 
However, one thing that Musharraf did not do and the present regime of the PPP is going to accomplish at the behest of its Masters sitting in Islamabad is to levy taxes on the residents already hit hard by ever rising inflation. Besides, Musharraf never wanted to ban non-customs paid vehicles and that trade with China during his tenure had reached its zenith. It was also during the tenure of Gen Musharraf that media got unprecedented freedom and started exposing the misdeeds and lies of politicians like Mehdi Shah.
It is time the chief minister stopped telling lies after lies and fulfilled whatever small promises he makes with the nation realizing the fact that he has no powers to make big decisions. Nobody can deny the fact that all key decision making powers are still with the federal government and- Continued on Page-4
 the difference now is that in the past these powers were used through the Ministry of Kashmir affairs and northern areas and now the GB Council has taken over the function, which is dominated by Pakistanis.
The chief minister has so far failed to speak the truth regarding the Attabad lake crisis. Why he is not telling the truth that under a well-planned conspiracy, the lake was let to grow and destroy the area and that criminal negligence was committed in rehabilitating the people and saving their properties.
The chief minister should now make it sure that the affected people of the Diamer dam are compensated on international standard and the displace people of Attabad lake are also rehabilitated and compensated. Mere promises and assurances would never pacify the masses and the credibility of the government would continue to erode in the eyes of the masses. 
 

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Sunday, 30 October 2011 11:33

Changes in royalty, resettlement cost formula likely

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Changes in royalty, resettlement cost formula likely 
 
By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The government is considering preparing the formulae for sharing of royalties and resettlement costs of the proposed water reservoirs, including the Diamer-Bhasha dam, in such a manner that the people displaced by the projects benefit most from them. 
Although the government has yet to come up with a clear formula on how the royalties and resettlement costs should be shared by the major stakeholders (the federation and provincial governments) the authorities now plan to make the resettled people "the first beneficiaries" of the upcoming projects, according to press reports.
These ideas would be deliberated upon in detail during a US-Pak strategic dialogue on water sector reforms and international lending, scheduled to begin on Nov 2 in Islamabad. Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and US undersecretary Maria Otero will lead their respective teams.
The federal government plans to utilise the forum of Council of Common Interests to suggest constitutional changes to the parliament for approval, the sources said.
A supra-regulatory body, replacing the existing Indus River System Authority, may have to be put in place to deal with all water-related issues, from irrigation to urban uses and from wastewater management to construction of new dams and adoption of new watering techniques, they said.
A case under study is the revenue-sharing arrangements and their implementation in Brazil - considered as a modern satisfactory model - where 6 per cent of gross revenues are allocated to the affected areas, with half going to the provinces and half to the municipalities with affected people.
Pakistan's experience in Tarbela and Mangla resettlement and profit-sharing has been far from exemplary, although it improved of late in the case of Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project. While tens of hundreds of the displaced persons from the sites of two dams continue to raise dissatisfaction over resettlement even after four decades, the profits arising out of Tarbela dam have benefited only Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, albeit with continued dissatisfaction in the province and increasing revenue threat to Wapda.
The policy-makers believe that a lacuna in the Constitution that promised profits to the province where power station is located has been one of the major hurdles in implementation of new mega projects because in most of the cases sacrifices of the people displaced by the projects by far outweighed the contribution of power houses. Continued on Page-4
"The benefits should be directly proportional to the sacrifices and cost-sharing," a senior government official said, adding the provinces would also be convinced to bear investment costs in cash and kind (in terms of submerged land, displacements and investment contributions) to claim shares in profits or return on investment.
A senior government official said it was very important to ensure that local people and authorities welcome such mega projects which was possible only if there was a modern, transparent and fair approach to sharing royalties with affected provinces or regions and the local people and if there was a strong capacity for effective resettlement.
The fresh thinking has come in the wake of a "huge wish list" submitted by Islamabad to the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) which many development lenders believed 'was asking for too much' and 'if everything was a priority, nothing was a priority.'
The FoDP task force on water sector had advised the government for a rigorous attention to the sequencing of the project priorities, keep in mind the fact that current environment offered Pakistan 'a limited political capital' in the world capitals.
The sequencing has, therefore, been set around building of major reservoirs starting with Diamer-Bhasha at a cost of $11 billion, agricultural productivity enhancement at a cost of $1.5 billion, urban water and sanitation improvement at a cost of $1 billion, besides associated projects for flood management and improvement in knowledge base and human resource development.
 

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Monday, 24 October 2011 17:37

Testing times for dam affected people

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Testing times for dam affected people 
By Our Correspondent
GILGIT: The people of Kohistan blocked the Karakorum Highway at Harban for many days demanding that like the affected people of Diamer they should also be compensated for the losses of properties due to the construction of the mega water reservoir across the border in Gilgit-Baltistan. They said like in Diamer, their land, houses, meadows, agricultural lands and orchard trees would be submerged in water; so they should also be compensated for each and every loss like the people of Diamer. They said modern housing colonies and educational and healthcare facilities were being set up for the displaced people of Diamer and similar facilities should also be made for the people of Kohistan where many villages are feared to be drowning when the dam is constructed. 
They also aid that their just demand for employment during the construction of the dam should also be accepted. Their demands also include allocated of 20 per cent of the royalty of the dam for Kohistan which would be spent on the development of the backward area. They also said that a quota should be allocated for their children in the educational institutions of Wapda. Besides, they also called for setting up of a commission to resolve the boundary dispute.
Due to the protest by the people of Kohistan, the communication link of Gilgit-Baltistan with other parts of the country remained disrupted and large numbers of people were stranded on both sides of the village. Trucks carrying fruits and vegetables from Gilgit-Baltistan to Pakistani cities were also stopped on the KKH. Though the authorities concerned tried to get small vehicles move through the Babusar pass, it remained unsuccessful. 
It is very unfortunate that in a country, people are taking to the streets before launching of a mega development project fearing their own destruction and demanding compensation and their just rights. Development projects everywhere are supposed to bring progress and prosperity to the locals but here the case is just opposite. Here the mega dam is being constructed to provide electricity to the cities of Pakistan which is facing worst power crisis. And the local people whose land and other properties would be sacrificed are unsure of their future.
The rulers sitting in Islamabad have developed a habit of snatching and plundering whatever come their way and always expected that the affected people would not raise voice collectively. In the case of Gilgit-Baltistan as well as the snatched away parts of Kohistan, the masses have been facing miseries mainly because the UN resolutions on the issue of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have not yet been implemented. Both the governments of Pakistan and the international community have been responsible for depriving the masses of Gilgit-Baltistan of their just rights for the past over 64 years.
Though the people of Kohistan are the citizens of Pakistan and they have also representation in the Senate and National Assembly of Pakistan, their inability to get their rights show how much access they have to the corridors of powers in Islamabad. 
It may also be noted that the land which would be affected by the construction of the Diamer dam is not more than a few hundred acres. Despite that if so many people have taken to the streets and blocked the vital highway for so many days, what should be the reaction of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan where the whole district of Diamer is destined to be washed away and submerged in water.
The people of Gilgit-Baltistan are not only going to suffer economic losses but they are also destined to suffer cultural, social and historical destructions. As a result, we warn the rulers of Pakistan to compensate and rehabilitate the people of Gilgit-Baltistan for their economic, social, cultural and historical losses.
 
Work on Diamer dam inaugurated
By Our Correspondent
CHILAS: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, termed the $12 billion Diamer-Bhasha Dam project a "lifeline" for the national economy that would help meet country's future agricultural and power requirements.
He was addressing the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the world's highest concrete dam on River Indus that would generate 19 billion units of electricity annually and enhance life of Tarbela Dam by over 35 years. 
Prime Minister Gilani termed it a historic day and appreciated the people of Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and their political leadership for standing united to initiate the mega project.
He said the gigantic project would generate 4,500MW electricity and store over eight million acre feet of water to meet country's growing power and irrigation needs, and was the outcome of consensus amongst all stakeholders. He said taking cue from the fate of the Kalabagh Dam that fell victim to some politicians who kept on playing to the gallery he decided to take all stakeholders on board. 
Gilani paid rich tributes to the political acumen of all political parties for backing the project. --Continued on Page-4
 
He also lauded the local people who had to sacrifice their ancestral lands for a great national cause. The prime minister expressed his gratitude to the international donors for the project. He, however, regretted that had the work on the project started earlier, it would have gone a long way in alleviating the sense of deprivation of the people. Gilani said the dam was the outcome of the vision of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto 
 
Gilani said agreements had been entered with China for the construction of 165 km Jaglot-Skardu and 135 km long Jaglot-Sazin roads. He announced Rs 200 million for Diamer district, setting up of engineering faculty at the KKH University, and a cadet college at Chilas. He announced an additional amount of Rs 1 billion for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan for KKH and other roads besides the already allocated amount of Rs 11.5 billion. 
 
The prime minister also directed WAPDA to initiate work on upgradation of three DHQ hospitals at Chilas and Skardu, and a public school at Ganche. Referring to a demand for a road from Ghizer to Tajikistan, the prime minister said talks were underway with the governments of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. 
 
Gilani said he and his government had no interest in "clinging to power" because the public service could be done by being either at treasury and opposition benches. He said he had directed that all the projects initiated during his government, must be completed, along with the work on ongoing projects.
 
 

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Sunday, 16 October 2011 13:13

Dam affectees block road

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Dam affectees block road 
By Our Correspondent
 MANSEHRA: Angry protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway in Kohistan for six hours to protest against non-payment of compensation to the people whose land would be used for building the Diamer-Basha Dam.
The protesters led by MPA Abdul Sattar Khan and other elders blocked the KKH at Harban area, carrying banners and raising slogans against the government and Wapda.
Speaking on the occasion, MPA Abdul Sattar, Haji Mian Gul, Syed Gul Badshah, Raza Wali Khan, Mohammad Nahmat and others said they would not allow President Asif Ali Zardari to inaugurate the Diamer-Basha Dam on October 18 until the dues of the landowners and boundary issue with the Gilgit-Baltistan was settled.
 A jirga had earlier constituted an 80-member representative committee of all the tribes and owners to talk with the government and communicate the grievances of the people of the Kohistan to the authorities.
They said that Wapda officials had assured the landowners that the payment of 1,500 kanals of the land, which was acquired by the government at the first stage, would be made in accordance with the market prices but they were still deprived of the money.
They said that the payment to the landowners of Diamer had already been made in accordance with the market price.
They said the boundary commission constituted by former president Pervez Musharraf to settle the ownership issue between the GB and KP could not sort it out as yet. 
 

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Saturday, 27 August 2011 19:08

Zardari seeks ADB funding for Diamer Dam

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Zardari seeks ADB funding for Diamer Dam

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon Asian Development Bank (ADB) to start process of financing Diamer Bhasha Dam as the project has been approved at all internal fora of the country.

The president said the project is useful as water storing reservoir, for production of inexpensive hydro energy of 4500 MW, for ensuring food and water security and for increasing cultivable lands.This he said during two separate review meetings, one about the ADB supported projects and the other about World Bank supported projects here at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The president said the government was committed to reforming the energy sector as the availability of sufficient energy was critical for economic and social development in the country.
He said that a committee headed by the Finance Minister had been constituted to formulate a plan to address various issues of the energy sector including both short and long term.
The President also emphasized improving communication infrastructure as to promote inter and intra state trade activities.
He said Pakistan due to its geo-strategic location provides the shortest possible sea access to many countries of the Central Asia.
With better road infrastructure and well-designedcommunication networks the real potential of trade can be encashedby the regional countries, he reiterated.
The President also sought support for the construction of roads through the CAREC Funds for integrating Pakistan with Central Asia.
It may be recalled that Pakistan became member of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) in October last year which consists of ten countries including Afghanistan, China, and Central Asian Republics.
The main objectives of this platform are to promote development by supporting accelerated growth and poverty reduction through regional cooperation in transport, trade facilitation, and energy cooperation among these countries.  
The CAREC program is a partnership of six multilateral institutions including ADB, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IMF, Islamic Development Bank, UNDP and the World Bank.
The President said the government was committed to taking remedial measures to redress conventional ills of economy and to maintain fiscal discipline, reduce fiscal deficit and mobilize domestic resources to pursue high growth.
He appreciated ADB’s assistance for development of Pakistan especially in the energy sector with a portfolio of over $1 billion.
He also appreciated World Bank engagement with Pakistan since 1952.  
The President also noted World Bank’s development assistance for the country amounting to US $ 4.5 billion and International Finance Corporation portfolio of US $ 860 million.
The President acknowledged WB’s assistance in energy sector with proposed portfolio of US$ 1.8 billion and US$300 million by IFC.
During meeting on World Bank supported projects, it was informed that up to 33 ongoing projects in different sectors were being financed by the World Bank.
These involve total commitment of US $4.5 billion out of which US $2.5 billion stand disbursed till June 2011.

 

 


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Monday, 13 June 2011 06:30

Diamer Dam work delayed for three years

Written by Bang e Sahar

Diamer Dam work delayed for three years
By Our Correspondent

 ISLAMABAD: The starting of construction work on Bhasha Dam might take three years more as the donors agencies have their own way of work and long processes before transferring of funds for the project.
An official while talking to the press said though ADB was likely to provide a sum of $7-8 billion but that was not going to happen overnight and would take time. The total project cost is around $12 billion and the dam will serve agriculture sector and power sector both as it would store water and will generate 4,000-megawatt electricity.
The official said that the government is facing troubles in getting funding for the project that is why it is being delayed.
There are some other issues regarding distribution of compensation money among the affected as the govt needs funds for the purpose as well. But he said that the govt would start the construction work of Bhasha dam and pay the compensation money if funds are available.
He also told that WAPDA has constructed the colony that was necessary to start construction process but now is waiting for the ADB to complete the process and allocate funds so that the construction contract could be assigned. It is also pertinent to mention here that during the period, there is no other hydel project that might help in decreasing electricity tariff and power generation is likely to rely on oil mainly for so many years as the govt is not taking any concrete step to ease the lives of the masses. Only one hydel power project is in construction process and that is Neelum-Jhelum run-of-the-river project but that will also be completed not before 2016. The project will add 956 megawatt in the system. The annual increase in electricity demand is calculated as more than 5 per cent in the current economic survey report so that project would not be able to help in decreasing power tariff at that time.-The Nation


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Sunday, 29 May 2011 15:48

Diamer-Bhasha Dam Jirga wants land, boundary issues settled first

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Diamer-Bhasha Dam 
Jirga wants land, boundary issues  settled first  
 
By Our Correspondent
 MANSEHRA: A jirga has demanded of the federal government to settle the land and boundary issues before inaugurating work on Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
"We have already made it clear to the government to settle the land price and boundary issues and then go for the inauguration of Diamer-Bhasha Dam otherwise the people of Kohistan would resist its construction," said MPA Abdul Sattar Khan while speaking at the jirga held in Dassu, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Haji Mian Gul, Syed Gul Badshah, Satpershan Khan, Raza Wali Khan, Mohammad Nahmat and others also spoke on the occasion. 
The participants of the jirga also constituted an 80-member representative committee of all the tribes and owners to hold talks with the government and communicate the grievances of the people of Kohistan.
Abdul Sattar Khan and others said representatives of Wapda had assured the landowners that the payment for 1,500-kanal land, which was acquired by the government in the first phase, would be made in accordance with the market price but they were still deprived of the money.
They said that the payment to landowners of Diamer had already been made in accordance with the market price.
They added that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani should address the all outstanding issues and then go for inauguration of construction work, otherwise the people of Kohistan would resist it by force.
 
Strike against power cuts
 
 By Our Coresspondent
 DIAMER: A shutter-down strike, on the call of the district Youth Movement, was observed in Chilas city.
 The locals of the city gathered at main bazar, burnt tyres and raised slogans against the electricity department. 
They said the department made excuse in winter season that shortage of water was the main reason of loadshedding, adding, now in summer the said problem was resolved but still unscheduled power outages were being carried out. The protestors warned district administration to resolved the issue otherwise a grand strike call would be given.

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Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:08

دیامرڈیم سے 740 میگاواٹ سے زائد بجلی ملے گی،افتتاح 24 مئی کو ہوگا،چیئرمین واپڈا شکیل درانی

Written by Bang e Sahar


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Sunday, 09 January 2011 13:55

Policy to resettle dam affectees soon

Written by Bang e Sahar

 

Policy to resettle dam affectees soon

ISLAMABAD: In consultation with the stakeholders, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is finalizing a comprehensive policy for resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected people for its future projects with the prime focus on Diamer Basha Dam Project.

This was stated by WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani while addressing the inaugural secession of a two-day Stakeholders' Seminar on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of the Affectees of Diamer Basha Dam Project at WAPDA Administrative Staff College here.

Among a large number of notables from Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ambassador Robin Raphel, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Rone Stroem, GB Health Minister Haji Bulbar Khan, Leader of the Opposition in GB Legislative Assembly Bashir Ahmed, Ex-Member GB Legislative Assembly Syeda Fouzia Saleem Abbas, WAPDA Member (Water) Syed Raghib Abbas Shah and WAPDA Secretary Imtiaz Tajwar also attended the seminar.

Chairman WAPDA said the rehabilitation and resettlement component is as important in execution of a project. Therefore, WAPDA is taking all the stakeholders into confidence to chalk out an action plan for the purpose, he added.

The chairman further said all possible measures are being taken to have a positive impact on the life of the people who will be affected due to construction of Diamer Basha Dam Project.

Ambassador Robin Raphel and ADB Country Director Rone Stroem, said that they were very encouraged to note WAPDA's interest in considering the safeguards to implement the project. They also committed all possible support for the project.

Vaqar Zakariya of Hagler Baillay Pakistan said Diamer Basha Dam can be used as a vehicle for regional transformation.

GB Health Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the GB Legislative Assembly Bashir Ahmed, Ex-Member GB Legislative Assembly Syeda Fouzia Saleem Abbas assured WAPDA of their full support in execution of Diamer Basha Dam Project.

WAPDA General Manager (Land Acquisition & resettlement) Dr. Raheel Ahmed, dilating upon the salient features of the Resettlement Action Plan, said that the process of land acquisition has been started which is planned to be completed by 2012.


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Monday, 15 November 2010 06:59

Govt seeks US investment in Basha Dam

Written by Bang e Sahar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought US investment in the $11 billion (Rs945 billion) Diamer-Bhasha dam in order to encourage international lenders to finance the mega project.
Official sources told Dawn that a formal request was recently made to the Obama administration by ministries of finance and water and power to fund the project "even with a small contribution" to increase the comfort level of other international lenders.
The US administration has not yet responded to the request as National Security Council's Senior Director David Lipton and Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert Cekuta were seeking opinion of the US energy department and other relevant quarters.
In the meantime, Mr Lipton has asked Islamabad to provide additional information about the energy development fund (EDF) set up by the government with the seed money of Rs20 billion and the initial development work to be undertaken by the Pakistan government to encourage private sector investments in major energy projects.The sources said this indicated that the US might contribute to the Bhasha dam project through the EDF.
The project will have a designed water storage capacity of about 8 million acre feet (MAF) and power generation capacity of 4,500mw.
The project cost estimated at Rs895 billion in June this year, has now been raised to Rs945 billion.
The government wants an investment of about Rs315 (about $3.7 billion) in foreign exchange for the project planned to be completed by 2016.
The sources said that Pakistan would reiterate the request when President Barack Obama's special envoy Richard Holbrooke attended Pakistan Development Forum (PDF) meetings on Nov 14-15 in Islamabad. The project would also be presented to multilateral and bilateral lenders during the PDF.
Talking about power sector reforms agreed with the lending agencies as part of Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) deliberations, a senior government official said the proposed merger of two energy related ministries - water and power and petroleum - into Ministry of Energy was facing legal complication and so was the appointment of a senior energy adviser because his role straddled different sectors.The sources said Water and Power Secretary Javed Iqbal had recently told US officials that the prime minister had agreed to the merger of the two ministries but that would take at least two years after effective implementation of the 18th Amendment.
The government believed the two ministries had inter-provincial responsibilities and their merger would require either further amendment to the Constitution or the rules of business.
A set of recommendations have been forwarded to the law ministry to move ahead with the merger.
The sources said the merger of two energy sector regulators - Nepra and Ogra - has also been delayed because of legal and regulatory issues.
The government has told the US and lending agencies that the merger of the regulators into a single, autonomous and effective forum could be considered a long-term measure after the merger of the two ministries.--Dawn


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