BAJAUR: The residents of Mena locality of Mamond tehsil here the other day agreed to give land for construction of a road after they were assured of payments as per the market rate.

The agreement came following successful talks between the landowners and a jirga constituted by the district administration.

The landowners informed the jirga members that they were not against the road construction, but wanted the market price of their lands. They told the elders that the district administration was also not willing to pay for the land to be used for carving footpaths on both sides of the road.

However, the villagers said they were still ready to give their land for the road project if the elders assured them on behalf of the administration that they would get the market rate of their lands.

The jirga members told the villagers that the administration would compensate them as per the government policy and not acquire an inch free of cost.

The elders said the villagers would be paid soon after work on the scheme was launched.

After the assurance, the villagers agreed to allow the authorities to start work on the road connecting their village with several other localities.

FILLING STATIONS SEALED: The authorities have sealed two more filling stations in Mamond tehsil for operating illegally, taking the total number to 19 during the ongoing action across the Bajaur tribal district.

Nawagai subdivision assistant commissioner Habibullah Khan Wazir told mediapersons the other day that a team inspected several filling stations in the tehsil to check the NOCs issued by Ogra and the district administration.

However, he said two filling stations were found operating without NOCs, and were sealed. The official said action against the illegally-run filling stations had been launched on the directives of Ogra.

Mr Waziar said the sealed filling stations would remain closed till the owners obtained NOCs.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2021