The Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) has said that the areas of Clifton and the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) that fall under its jurisdiction have not been witnessing any extensive demolition activity as part of the anti-encroachment drive under way across Karachi because they have been ensuring a stricter check on land use laws that prevent the misuse of residential and amenity spaces.
A spokesman for the CBC told The News that there has been no clear example of any plot of land in their jurisdiction that is under illegal occupation or subjected to brazen misuse for commercial gains.
“The Clifton cantonment area, including the DHA, like the rest of the cantonments, is known for being very much cautious and vigilant to prevent the misuse of land so that residential, commercial and amenity spaces in our jurisdiction are put to use for the same purpose in practical terms for which these plots are originally meant for.”
That is the sole reason, added the spokesman, that “you have not been witnessing any wholesale razing of shops or demolition of concrete structures as has been the case in the rest of the city, because of our vigilant application of land use policy”.
“No doubt there have been several cases of encroachments of a minor nature, as people in our area also exceed beyond the land allotted to them while engaging in their commercial activities.”
However, he added, “prompt action is taking place to regularise such exceeding physical existence of shops and other commercial ventures. We and the vigilance teams of the DHA both have been taking action against such acts”.
He explained that notices are also being issued to forewarn the violators in this regard, asking them to take corrective measures on their own to avoid harsh punitive action. He said that hundreds of such warning notices have been issued.
“Then, since the time the anti-encroachment drive has been launched in the city, we have been making sure that eateries, including tea houses, conducting their activities in open areas close their businesses by midnight, as after 12am no such activity is being allowed by us.”
An elected member of the CBC, Zikar Mahanti, told The News that the cantonment authorities have undertaken anti-encroachment operations in the localities of Kala Pul, Neelum Colony, Delhi Colony and their adjoining areas, whereas areas under the DHA’s control are largely clear of any such encroachments.
Mahanti admitted that there are illegal encroachments in PMT Colony near the Gizri bridge. However, he said, action cannot be taken there because the issue of whether this area falls under the jurisdiction of the Clifton cantonment or the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation is yet to be resolved.
Then there are similar illegal activities taking place in the streets of Clifton Block-8, against which action is yet to be taken, he added. “Apart from the DHA, we can safely say that the situation in the rest of the Clifton cantonment has been very much under control in up to 80 per cent of the areas.”
