Pick, choose policy raises eyebrows

Rawalpindi : Though the enforcement branch of Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) like other civic bodies last week launched a massive crackdown against encroachments both temporary and permanent in its wards however, the drive remained partial and was carried out improperly.

According to people of certain bazaars, markets and survey conducted by this correspondent, the much trumpeted operation initiated on the directions of the Islamabad High Court did not achieve the desired result for which purpose it was started. The staff of the specially constituted teams of the enforcement branch of CCB while carrying drive removed temporary encroachments and also confiscated goods and other equipment besides removing sheds from outside the shops and trading centres as action against permanent encroachers. However, carrying out demolition work against concrete and cemented as well as tiles made floors the enforcement staff adopted a very partial attitude. The enforcement team just damaged the cemented construction but did not demolish concrete and tiles construction from outside the main hotels, bakeries and shopping centres like cosmetic, grocery and cloth stores.

There are certain examples to quote in this regard however; one glaring instance to cite about the partial attitude of enforcement team could be seen in bazaars of Dheri Hassanabad, Talhi Moari, Ghousia Chowk where the staff has just slightly damaged the cemented construction to hoodwink the people and officials of their civic body. They refrained from demolishing the constructions completely and left over demolition work of concrete and tile construction outside the main bakeries, hotels, shopping centres.

Not only the people even the affected traders and shopkeepers of these areas have voiced concern over the partial operation carried out by CCB enforcement branch team. They have demanded off the higher officials including Cantonment Executive Officer, Additional Executive Officer and other concerned officers to pay surprise visits to bazaars and markets to assess themselves about the partial way adopted by enforcement team during crackdowns against permanent and temporary encroachments. The people have appealed to the Cantonment Executive Officer to direct the head of the enforcement branch as well as its staff to demolish all kind of concrete, tiles and cemented constructions made illegally outside the bakeries, shopping centres and hotels. To complete the left over work on demolition of concrete constructions, they demanded off the CEO to direct the enforcement team to make another crackdown against encroachers in these and other bazaars in effective way. If operation is not being carried out in proper and impartial way by the enforcement staff, action needs to be taken against them by Cantonment Executive Officer, the people stressed.

Meanwhile, after the end of operations, the shopkeepers and traders started to place once again their goods and other selling items outside their shops. The cart pushers have also started slowly to place their carts on road sides to do business.