Cheque distribution for compensation to land owners begins

CHITTAGONG, Sept 6: Land acquisition of one of the country's mega power plants at Matarbari of Moheshkhali island upazila has started through distribution of cheques for compensating to the affected local residents.

The recipients of cheques were also advised to come to the upazila headquarters with the documents of the lands, officials said.

Representatives of the local administration of Cox's Bazar district and the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), local police administration and elected chairmen of Matarbari and Dhalghata union councils handed the cheques over to 41 villagers.

The 1,200 megawatt (mw) coal-fired plant, split into two units of 600mw each, will be built under a Japanese soft loan at a cost of Tk 3,600 billion, officials at the Cox's Bazar district administration said Thursday.

Sources said JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) would provide a loan of Tk 289.39 billion for the plant while Tk 49.2366 billion would come from the revenue of the government and Tk 21.189 billion from the Coal Power Generation Co Ltd (CPGCL).