MANSEHRA, Sept 18: The residents and land owners of Bakryal have demanded that their populated area measuring about 3,000 kanals should be excluded from the New Balakot City project.

A reconciliation meeting of the Mansehra district revenue department, Nespak and elders of Bakryal was held here on Tuesday.

The elders, including Mohammad Islam, Hakim Dad, Munsif Khan Abbasi and Wali Khan, declared: “We don’t want to sell our 6,000 kanals for the establishment of the New Balakot City as over 25,000 people are living in about 1,000 houses spread on 3,000 kanals.”

They said they would sacrifice their lives to save their land and would never hand over the land to the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority.

“It is not a wise decision on behalf of the Erra to settle the earthquake-affected people of the red zone of Balakot and Garlat at Bakryal and displace over 25,000 inhabitants of the area,” they said.

They said they would offer 3,000 kanals of agricultural land for the project on suitable rates if Erra excluded the 3,000 kanals of populated area.

In that case, jobs and land should be given to local people in the project, they demanded.

The district revenue officer and Nespak officials assured the elders that their proposals would be discussed with Erra authorities. They said they wanted a peaceful settlement of the dispute.