The Sindh government is committed to making timely payments to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) to prevent delays in the rehabilitation project for the affected families of the anti-encroachment operations along the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs, and ensure the project’s completion as per the schedule.
The assurance to this effect was given on Wednesday by the Sindh advocate general to the Sindh High Court (SHC) over a petition related to the rehabilitation of the petitioners who were displaced from surroundings of the Gujjar, Orangi and Mehmoodabad nullahs due to their houses obstructing the drainage system.
The high court was informed by the Sindh advocate general and project contractor that the rehabilitation process was going on. The project contractor submitted that an amount of Rs479 million had been received through the Malir Development Authority (MDA) project director while the MDA claimed that a total of Rs495,767,444 had been paid.
A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha observed that a total value of the project was Rs3.6 billion with a target completion date of March 2027. The bench observed that the contractor had complained that shortage of funds was slowing down the work, which was refused by the provincial advocate general as well as the MDA project director.
The advocate general submitted that the Sindh government was committed to making timely payments to the MDA to prevent delays in the rehabilitation project. The high court observed that the contractor must be paid adequately and timely by the Sindh government so that the project was completed on time.
The SHC observed that this commitment was in compliance with the Supreme Court’s (SC) order to provide adequate accommodation to those affected by the anti-encroachment operations.
The high court observed that the apex court had mandated the Sindh government to promptly facilitate the rehabilitation of the affected families of the Gujjar and Orangi nullah operations and it was also presently monitoring the case.
The SHC disposed of the petition observing that this arrangement was subject to the final outcome of the SC’s proceedings in this regard. The SC had ordered the Sindh government to ensure that the affected people of the Gujjar and Orangi nullah operations were rehabilitated properly with all the necessary amenities.
The petitioners had submitted that the government was continuously demolishing houses situated near the Gujjar Nullah on the pretext of the expansion of roads in violation of the apex court’s order. They had requested the court to direct the government to submit a proposal for the enhancement of the Gujjar Nullah project and a plan for the rehabilitation and payment of compensation to those affected by the project.