Karachi: The Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC) on Monday (October 26) announced its decision to remove encroachments and relocate settlements and commercial units set up along all nullahs in Karachi in a bid to restore the city’s drains, a news source reported.
The PCIC meeting was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Humayoon Aziz, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Planning and Development Chairman Mohammad Waseem, PCIC Chief Coordinator Major General Aqeel Ahmed and several other officials.
The meeting members were briefed that as many as 13,441 residential and 2,948 commercial units were built on the nullahs. Out of the 13,441 houses, 5,916 are constructed on Gujjar Nullah, 4,480 on Orangi Nullah, and 1,049 on Mahmoodabad Nummah, while the Malir River is home to some 1,996 households.
According to reports, the Sindh government has notified the owners of these commercial and residential structures to vacate the area. At the same time, a survey by the NED University is underway to analyse the length, width and capacities of the existing 44 storm drains in the city. The study is to be completed within the next three months.
The meeting members also decided to draft various models of human resettlements and discuss these plans during the next meeting. A rehabilitation plan is being prepared by a three-member committee comprising Karachi administrator, commissioner and local government secretary.
