CHITRAL: The Lawi power project may not be ready even in 2023 due to lack of interest on part of the KP government. It has been learnt that workers at the site have not been paid salaries for six months now.
Moreover, work at the site is also affected by absence of Chinese engineers and technical workers who have not returned from their home country after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cost escalation due to the devaluation of the rupee is also badly affected the pace of work at the site.
The 69 megawatt project was launched in 2016 and supposed to be completed by Nov 2021. However, in Jan 2020 only 35pc work had been completed.
During a visit to the site by a delegation led by Chitral Chamber of Commerce and Industry coordinator Sartaj Ahmed Khan, officials said work slowed down mainly due to the pandemic and was expected to complete by 2023.
They said there was no issue of security as foreign workers of the project were yet to returned from their countries.
A worker at the site confirmed to ChitralToday that workers hired by consultant and contractor of the project have not been paid salaries for six months. He said the workers were demanding that their salaries should be paid to them without any further delay.–Muhkam Uddin Ayuni
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