RCB generates more revenue

Rawalpindi: The enforcement branch of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) according to its concerned official has managed to impose huge fines estimating Rs69,000 over the last two months starting from October to December 10, while carrying grand operations against encroachers to check the nuisance of encroachments from almost every market, bazaar and busy roads falling in the vicinity of the civic body.

Earlier, the Enforcement Cell of RCB had generated Rs6.5 million in 10 months starting from January to October, 2017 through operations against encroachers. In all RCB enforcement has generated more than Rs7 million in 12 months.

Anyhow while talking to ‘The News’, Hassan Jan, Incharge of Enforcement Cell, RCB told agreed to a question that Encroachment is an unending issue. The task of civic bodies is to check encroachments and to discourage encroachers who reappear to set up their business with the purpose of earning some money to run their homes.

Hassan Jan to a question said that encroachments exist in every country of the world and it could not end but steps are taken to check and discourage the encroachers. He said over the last one year or more RCB has carried out countless drives against encroachments but due to unemployment people re-establish their business for their livelihood or some other person replace them by setting up kiosks, pushcarts and stalls at different points of bazars and markets.

The RCB has evolved a mechanism under which the people could do their business to earn money. Those who violate the rules and regulations, action is taken against them and even their goods are seized and not returned.

To a question about the existence of permanent encroachments established by the shopkeepers and traders like construction of cemented floors outside their shops, placing of their goods and setting up their shads outside their shops , the official admitted the fact. He however, said under the new mechanism , the enforcement cell staff serves notices to the shopkeepers and traders directing them to remove all kind of permanent encroachments outside their shops. If the traders and shopkeepers do not abide by our directions then their shops are seized during operations and their cases are submitted with the judicial magistrate who impose huge fines on them.

At present the enforcement cell remain active and carryout major areas like Tench Bhatta, People’s Colony, Saddar, Kashmir Road and Hathi Chowk besides Westridge markets and bazars, the official stated.

  At the same time he expressed concern that though the RCB removes encroachments but politicians and other influential people interfere in our business by recommending the cases of encroachers because of which business is re-established. This practice has to end, Hassan Jan stressed.