LAHORE - Wapda is using delaying tactics to compensate affectees of Tarbela Dam even after passage of half century since construction of the dam.
In a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Haji Haq Nawaz Khan former president Anjuman Tahaffuz-e-Haqooq-e-Mutasreen Tarbela Dam said that at the time of construction of dam then federal government had announced allotment of 60000 acres land in Punjab and Sindh, 30000 each.
It was decided in a high level meeting held under the chair of former president and Field Marshal Ayub Khan in Peshawar that every individual possessing 16 kanals rain dependent or four kanals agricultural land would be entitled to 12.5 acres agricultural land in Punjab or Sindh provinces.
It was further decided that in Sindh Barrage areas affectees were supposed to be allotted same quantity of land as much was affected in barrage areas. Wapda rehabilitation department had demanded one lac acres land from the federal government for the settlement of the affectees. But then provincial government had specified 30000 acres land each in Sindh and Punjab. Those who were allotted in Sindh could not get possession of their lands in Sindh since influential of the Sindh province did not surrender their illegal possession of the lands.
In the meanwhile 2400 influential families got 30000 acres land in their names in Punjab while 4000 families were left at the mercy of Wapda authorities.
When Wapda authorities remained unmoved despite repeated reminders by the affectees.
Then they contacted the Peshawar High Court and filed two writ petitions with WP No-107/2004 and 129/2007 seeking justice regarding compensation from Wapda.
The court concerned decided in 2010 and directed Wapda authorities to allot the land to affectees as per rules. But Wapda officials in 2012 filed an appeal with Supreme Court of Pakistan against the decision of Peshawar High Court and delayed the rehabilitation of dam affectees.
Haq Nawaz further pleaded in his application to Chief Justice of Pakistan that Secretary water and power once appeared before the court and confessed that affectees of Tarbela were entitled to land compensation and they would be given relief. Affectees were waiting for justice from last 50 years, Haq Nawaz added. Applicant was of the view that Wapda officials have filed appealed with malafide intention since they were not supposed to provide land to the affectees rather it was duty of Punjab government to do so.
Wapda was only responsible for the administrative affairs of resettlement. It is duty of Wapda to resettle the affectees since this very department displaced them from their native areas.
On June 04, 2003 then Supreme Court Judges, Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Karamat Nazir Bhindari in writ petition of Chan Peer an affectee of Tarbela Dam directed the Wapda authorities to compensate the affectees within 60 days.
The court further warned the WAPDA officials to be ready to go jail in case they failed to comply with court orders. “We are surprised how the bureaucrats have sound sleep at night after depriving the bonafide people from their rights”, both the judges lamented.
In the 2003 World Bank imposed condition of complete compensation of Tarbela affectees to get further aid on Ghazi Barotha Dam.
The some local influential of the area with connivance of Wapda officials asked the affectees that Wapda could only compensate them Rs one lac against per 12.5 acres land. Affectees who were disappointed for the last more than 40 years received the same thinking ‘something is better than nothing’. But after that court rejected that amount as compensation during hearing.
AMRAIZ KHAN
