Gulzar-e-Hijri Scheme: 'encroachments on 14,000 acres to be removed'

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad has called for immediate steps for rehabilitation of 0.7 million plots in 54 sectors on 54,000 acres of land in Gulzar-e-Hijri, Scheme-33.
In this regard a decision has been taken for the formation of a high level committee to be headed by DCO Karachi.
This committee would also work for removal of encroachments on 14000 acres of land as well as recovery of dues of Rs 5.38 billion against the allotted plots.
In a meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Governor, it was informed that an estimated 2.2 million people live in Scheme-33 which was announced by KDA in 1967 and by the Board of Revenue (BOR) in 1977.
On May 18, 1980, the then Governor and Martial Law Administrator had directed that the scheme be completed in five years.
The development charges were recovered from 1980 to 1991 and land was allotted to 1376 co-operative societies.
Allegedly, the internal development works could not completed because of encroachment of 14000 acres of land by mafia people.
The meeting also decided that Board of Revenue would transfer the land to City Government as per laid down terms and if the dues remain outstanding, the same would be recovered by BOR on behalf of City Government.
It was decided to appoint EDO Revenue City Government as Project Director of the whole plan.
The Committee set-up under DCO would comprise of EDOs of Water Board, Works and Services, Finance and Planning besides representatives of societies. The Project Director would be the member/secretary of the Committee.
It was also decided that City Nazim would talk to the Co-operative Societies and get the work of internal development done and also recover the dues.
Another committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary Development would supervise the whole project.
The governor made it clear that Government was taking steps for revival of all pending projects of housing and industries and emphasis was being laid on removal of bottlenecks in the way.
The Governor asked the concerned organisations to augment their mutual liaison and avoid further delay in the matter.
He directed that the lands be got freed from encroachments and brought into use for specified purposes so that no problem recurred.