Protest against land acquisition for Ravi project

LAHORE:The rulers are trying to occupy the lands of people in the name of Land Acquisition Act which is not acceptable in any case, alleged Ravi Urban Development Victims Committee members while addressing a protest rally in the village of Babakwal near here on Sunday.

The government has issued section 5 for the construction of a lake and acquisition of land in the Ravi River, but they have not given certified copy of section 5 and master plan to public yet, which is equal to keeping people in the dark, they said. “Land acquisition only allows the acquisition of land for the public interest", said Haji Abdul Ghani.

There is no provision in the law to acquire people's lands and form housing societies or give them to the land mafia. The administration concerned has issued section 5 but so far no rate of land is being given and no master plan of the project is being brought forward. Residents of the area have reservations about this project, lands along the Ravi are declaring barren by the government but we appeal to rulers, please appoint an independent commission to survey the area again and see how fertile these lands are. We are ready to give our lands for channelise the lake and river in the public interest but we will not give our lands to establish housing societies, Mian Mustafa Rashid, said convener victims’ committee, adding previous governments tried to work on this project but could not work after public concerns and reports of environmental pollution.