Gilgit [PoGB], August 11 : Residents of Hanzel in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan are experiencing severe power outages despite being near the Hanzel Hydropower project, a major electricity generation facility, according to Pamir Times, a local media outlet.
Further, residents expressed frustration over the lack of job opportunities for locals at the 20 MW Hanzel Hydropower project despite promises from officials, no jobs have been provided to locals, instead, outsiders are being recruited.
A local leader Haji Muhammad Nasir and other residents of Hanzel in PoGB reveal how the ambitious electricity project has been pushed towards failure.
"The 20 MW project has not been started yet, and instead of giving opportunities to our people they are recruiting outsiders. We will protest if this continues. They had promised that, our people would get jobs in the hydropower project, but nothing has happened. But whenever we try to reach the officials to raise our complaint, we are just given fake promises and assurances and no result," said Haji Muhammad Nasir
"I don't understand, if the project and tender of the power generation project both are approved, and they even have taken advances, then why has the work not started yet? Now they want to make a 40 MW project. Without completing an already approved project of 20 MW," he added
Following this, Another Hanzel resident emphasised the government's promised agreement, which will provide jobs to the locals after the projects start.
"Another resident of Hanzel said that "there was an agreement for providing jobs to locals, signed between people and government and still nothing has been done. The agreement clearly states that our people will get jobs. In the initial days of the project, merely two to three locals were given jobs but no such jobs were given after that, and we have been kept in the dark."
A tourist who had travelled from Islamabad also said that electricity is the most essential thing in these areas it's been 20 to 25 days since I was here and I have witnessed only 5 to 6 hours of electricity.
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