ABBOTTABAD, May 12: Land has been allocated for reconstructing Balakot, which falls on a double fault line, at Bikriyal near the collapsed town.

Lt-Gen Nadeem, deputy chairman, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra), said this at a meeting in Mansehra on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by elected representatives of all five quake-hit districts, Nazims, DCOs, DROs, officials of different government departments, representatives of NGOs and donors.

Lt-Gen Nadeem said that a model city had been planned at Bikriyal and it would be a replica of Islamabad from the point of view of provision of facilities.

He said that it might take three years to complete the project, adding that Erra had banned all sorts of construction in those areas which had been declared as red zone in the light of seismic reports.

He stressed more coordination among organisations involved in rehabilitation so that relief goods could be delivered to the affected people in time.

Regarding the payment of compensation, Lt-Gen Nadeem said that all survivors who could not get their cheques should submit claims with the ACOs concerned and after due verification they would get compensation.

The affected people who could not get the first instalment of Rs25,000 for loss or damage to property would get Rs100,000 with the second instalment, which was Rs75,000.

Lt-Gen Nadeem said that a proposal had been forwarded to the government for waiver of agricultural and house-building loans in the earthquake-affected areas.