KARACHI: The provincial cabinet has directed the Irrigation Department to conduct a proper survey of its canals just to assess how much of its operational lands are under encroachment and what is its requirement so that after removal of encroachments the government can resume its surplus lands.
This decision was taken in the one-point agenda cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at CM House just to review the status of implementation of Sindh High Court order for removal of encroachment from Irrigation properties and relocation plan for displaced persons.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, advisor law, and advocate general, prosecutor general and concerned provincial secretaries.
The cabinet was told that the Sindh High Court under a Constitutional Petition has directed the Irrigation department to remove encroachments from the properties of irrigation department especially once erected on irrigational channels.
The Irrigation department started operation and has removed encroachments from main canals, branch canals, distributaries, minors, drains and bunds in order to clear hindrances and activate the system of irrigation department.
The cabinet members said that the anti-encroachment drive of the Irrigation department has displaced a large number of poor people. They also said that various villages have been bulldozed and the people have no option but to live under the open skies.
The cabinet, after detailed discussion directed Irrigation department to re-assess its requirements on the basis of operational needs of the department, presently in use and required in future, in terms of right of way, colonies, channels, regulators and other system functioning so that the lands under encroachment could be vacated. After meeting the Irrigation department’s land requirement, the government would resume its surplus lands.
The cabinet directed district administration to start registration of the people displaced under the anti-encroachment operation of the Irrigation department so that necessary measures could be taken to relocate them.
The Irrigation department will present its re-assessed plan of its land requirements in the next cabinet meeting for necessary action.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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