Authorities are conducting a controlled breach to release accumulated water from the Dadocha Dam catchment area, reducing the immediate threat of a major flood. Photo: Express
RAWALPINDI:
The district administration has issued final red notices to all residents living on the 7,250 kanals acquired for the Dadocha Dam project, asking them to demolish their homes, sheds and cattle sheds themselves and vacate the entire area by December 31.
Authorities warned that any property not vacated by the deadline will be razed on January 1.
Following the issuance of final notices, residents have started demolishing their homes and cattle sheds on their own, while the dispute over land compensation has intensified.
All 270 affected families have announced that they will file references in court, claiming that the official rate of Rs 239,000. per channel is “peanuts” for such valuable land.
Three villages including Khanpur, Bharwala and Mohra Faizullah will be completely wiped out as their entire land falls within the dam site.
In the village of Dadocha, Razi Sohal and four adjacent settlements, only agricultural land and forest areas fall into the project.
Located 25 km from Rawalpindi, the dam is planned in the Dadocha village of Kallar Syedan. Its estimated cost in 2022 was Rs6,027 million with a completion target of December 31, 2025.
Due to rising construction material costs, the estimate has now increased to Rs14 billion and the completion has been extended to December 31, 2027.
The dam will supply 35 million gallons of water per day to Rawalpindi and has a storage capacity of 60,000 acre feet. FWO executes the project.
Ajmal Jamshed, a landowner affected by the project, said the administration and paramilitary forces have started forcibly demolishing houses. Some households have received partial compensation, while 90 percent have not received “a single penny” and are told that compensation will only be paid after vacating the land.
Those who were paid received Rs16,000-17,000 per marla, which the residents reject.
Affected families say they have decided to file references with the Magistrate in the Civil Court to get market compensation.
