ISLAMABAD: The World Bank’s independent Inspection Panel will visit Pakistan from November 2 to 10 to assess 15 complaints from Punjab residents about the Dasu transmission line.
Residents of two villages in the Tanda area allege that the 765-kilovolt line has damaged the value of their ancestral farmland. They claim compensation is inadequate and restrictions on land use have reduced property values by an estimated 80%.
Under the right-of-way corridor, residents cannot construct buildings or allow trees to grow beyond 2.5 metres, according to their complaint. Affected families say these restrictions have prevented them from building homes and establishing a dairy farm.
The complainants have raised safety concerns about the high-voltage line’s proximity to children, residential areas, farmland and commercial properties. They have also questioned community consultations and the disclosure of the project’s Resettlement Action Plan.
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The group submitted its complaint on July 24. After preliminary meetings with residents and World Bank management, the Inspection Panel registered the request on September 11.
Registration does not mean the panel has approved a formal investigation. Its forthcoming visit will assess whether the complaints warrant further examination.
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Panel Chairperson Ibrahim James Pam will lead the delegation, which plans to meet government departments, the National Grid Company and other stakeholders.
World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Bolormaa Amgaabazar has requested a meeting with the Power Division on November 5 to obtain the government’s perspective.
The complainants have expressed concerns about possible retaliation but have not requested anonymity. The World Bank approved USD 700 million in additional financing in April 2020 for the transmission infrastructure.
The project includes a 255-kilometre line linking Dasu’s planned 2,160-megawatt first stage to the Islamabad West Substation.
