PESHAWAR: The landowners displaced by the construction of Warsak Dam have demanded of the government to increase their royalty and waive off electricity charges.

Addressing a news conference here on Monday, former district councillor Juma Raz and elders Arbab Waqas and Gulfam Khan said 52 villages were affected by the dam’s construction, but the government didn’t provide them with any relief.

They said the residents should be given at least 40 per cent royalty on account of the dam construction.

They said the dam had affected the area’s entire population by ruining their agricultural lands. They said the government should provide financial relief to the people for the losses as growers had no other source of income.

The landowners suggested the money accumulated in lieu of royalty for the last many years should be used to pay the outstanding electricity bills of the residents.

They regretted that the residents didn’t get free power despite offering agricultural land for the dam. The elders said electric supply often remained suspended with students struggling to attend the online classes.

The landowners said the residents had formed a jirga to field candidates in the next local government elections and back the parties supporting their demands.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2020