Lahore: The Punjab government has decided against the proposed inclusion of existing industries and residential settlements within the land acquisition plan for the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, a news source reported on December 27. However, the settlements located within the riverbed will be acquired.
Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) spokesman SM Imran was speaking to the media after a meeting held with local industrialists at Mehmood Booti near the Ring Road on Saturday. The RUDA official organised the meeting on the directives of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan who had ordered the authorities concerned to allay all concerns of the industrialists.
The industrialists were briefed about the project. According to the details revealed, PM Khan had ordered relocation for a limited number of settlements. To this effect, the RUDA spokesman stated that settlements in flood-prone areas will be acquired as they faced grave danger from river waters which continued to be released by India without warning.
The project will be a complete city spread over 120,000 acres and will be developed in three phases over 30 years. The first phase will also involve the development of a 46-kilometer-long lake by erecting 28-foot-high walls on both sides of the river besides constructing barrages at three places.
The authorities will also establish seven water treatments in the area to treat a total of 836 cusecs of water daily which will be supplied to the lake. The lake will also serve as a reservoir and save water from being wasted. The water will then be used for irrigation. It is also expected to help improve ground water levels in Lahore.
Six million saplings will be planted within the project to make it environment friendly, while 10,000 acres of land will be dedicated for development of a forest and orchards.
