Karachi:
Once called the largest poor neighborhood in Asia, Orangi Town is no longer a Katchi Abadi, said the CM advisor on the Najmi Alam human settlement on the floor of the Sindh Assembly on Friday.
“The city of Orangi is no longer classified as a Katchi Abadi (Marginal neighborhood), and the Sindh government invested RS7 billion in its development,” Najmi said.
He pointed out that although the number of marginal neighborhoods throughout the city has grown significantly, the government undertakes to regularize these settlements after completing all the necessary legal formalities.
He made these comments on Friday during the Question and Answers session related to the Department of Human Settlements at the Sindh Assembly. The session, chaired by a panel of the president of the presidents, Rehana Leghari, also addressed several written and complementary questions of the legislators.
While answering the questions in the Sindh Assembly, Najmi Alam recognized the generalized invasions about drains and water lines. He informed that three employees were fired for issuing illegal leases. Answering the question of the MQM Quratul Ain member, he said that the department has records of marginal neighborhoods registered until 2011. Alam highlighted the main problem of illegal construction in marginal neighborhoods, mentioning that even the elegant locality of Clifton has three marginal neighborhood agreements.
The government has formed a demolition squad in all low neighborhoods, the streets would be extended by 10 feet, any other structure in the streets would be razed.
Responding to Fauzia Hameed of MQM, he explained that the property is thoroughly verified, maps are prepared and images of drones are used before granted.
