150 houses would be demolished in first phase and 600 more houses in the next – Executive Engineer Irrigation
Anti-encroachment drive launched on Thursday on court orders was suspended for two days after death of a man and protest of residents
By Allah Bux Khushik
Dadu: The district administration of Dadu plans to bulldoze 750 homes built at the irrigation department’s land and at the embankments of canals and channels. The action is being taken to remove encroachments from the lands as per directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Executive Engineer irrigation Lutufullah said that in first phase 150 homes would be demolished built at the embankments of Phakka and Jagir channels from Shahjahan Park to Panj More and in second phase more 600 hundred homes would be demolished on Dadu canal’s both sides from Panj More to Siyal More.
Following the court directives, the district administration of Dadu started anti-encroachment drive on Thursday to vacate the irrigation land and clear the embankment of Dadu Canal and its channels however it was suspended for two days by the Deputy Commissioner due to protest of residents and death of an aged man.
The anti-encroachment team was led by Assistant Commissioner Dadu Muhammad Ali Lund. Executive Engineer of Irrigation Department Lutufulallah, Mukthiarkar Dadu Abdul Hameed Khokar, DSP City, Anti-Encroachment SHO and lady police were also part of operation.
The authorities used heavy machinery to demolish homes of people who had illegally constructed homes on both sides of Phaka and Jagir channels.
Using bulldozers the team demolished the home of Ameer Jamali who had already vacated it.
During the operation a large number of men and women of the area staged sit-in and laid in front of bulldozers and demanded to stop demolishing their homes.
Laborer Muhammad Ali Mallah, one of the protesters, said that two years ago same operation was lunched by district administration and 180 homes were demolished but former Deputy Commissioner Shahzaman Khuhro and MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali had assured on behalf of Chief Minister that victims, whose homes were demolished, would get free plots in Benazir Basti but neither DC nor MNA fulfilled their promise and plots were allotted to their own men.
He said that now they had constructed their three homes after getting loan but once again the government wants to demolish their homes, which is injustice with poor families. He warned that if their homes are demolished they would be compelled to commit suicide.
Ms. Pathani, another protester, said that the court had directed officials that they should first provide shelter before removing encroachments but even then poor people are being targeted.
During the protest, an aged man Muhammad Umar Joyo died at his home due to heart attack. Deceased’s heir and neighbors alleged that man had died due to shock of his home being demolished.
One Ghulam Ali Mallah told that two years ago during operation two aged women Shabana Mallah, Gulshan Mallah and 12-year girl Sorath had died but no one helped them except making tall claims by elected MNA.
Later, DC Dadu Samiulallah Shaikh gave two-day time to the residents to leave their homes and warned that in case of violation FIRs would be lodged against them and they would be held responsible if any untoward incident took place.
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