Hyderabad: The authorities concerned have announced their decision to construct walking and cycling tracks on canal banks in Sukkur district, a news source reported. The officials concerned proposed the initiative during a meeting of the resettlement and allotment committee for people displaced from houses constructed on the encroached land of these canal banks.
Committee Head and Vice Chancellor of the Institute of
Business Administration (Sukkur) Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui stated that after
determining the inspection paths for irrigation purposes, relevant departments
would construct the walking, cycling, and jogging tracks. He also directed
officials concerned to work on the proposal for installing solar panels on these
embankments. He further emphasised the need to beautify canals situated at Sukkur’s
entry points.
Siddiqui noted that it was important to plan schemes for the recovered land to prevent further incidents of encroachment. He also stressed on the provision of alternative housing for the displaced people.
For this purpose, a sub-committee headed by Sukkur Deputy
Commissioner (DC) Rana Adeel recently received directives for formulating a
draft policy to allot plots situated on over 200 acres of land reserved for
displaced residents. Meanwhile, Sukkur Commissioner Shafique Ahmed Mahesar
informed the meeting that computerised balloting would take place for allotting
the plots in a transparent manner.
Siddiqui directed the officials to develop the 200-acre colony according to town planning principles – ensuring the availability of all amenities, along with civil infrastructure. Furthermore, DC Adeel revealed that the scheme would undergo development as part of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Housing Cell.
Siddiqui also ordered the Sindh Irrigation Department to
clear the rubble of the demolished structures from canal banks, and determine
the right paths for irrigation. In this regard, the department’s superintendent
engineer revealed that it would take them up to 90 days to clear the debris
after the government released the required funds.
