MANSEHRA: The families affected by the 300-megawatt Balakot Hydropower Project on Monday staged a sit-in at the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road, blocking it for more than five hours seeking an increase in the prices of land and houses acquired for the project.
“The district administration has acquired our 8,000 kanals of land and houses for this hydropower project but fixed a meagre amount as compensation, which is unacceptable to us,” stated an elder Aqeel Yusufzai at the rally in Hassam Abad area of Balakot. The protesters chanted slogans in support of their demands, saying that though the district administration had acquired the land and their houses for the energy project being built at River Kunhar, it had fixed throwaway prices.
The protesters also sought their committee’s inclusion in the decision-making process of the dam being executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation.Assistant Commissioner of Balakot Basharat Shah Bibi along with DSP Siraj Khan rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters. The officials assured the protesters that their demands would be considered by the district administration.The protesters dispersed peacefully after five hours following the AC fixed their meeting with the deputy commissioner to be held today (Tuesday) in Mansehra.
