Demarcation of Baldia cottage industry, Orangi land ordered

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the demarcation of the entire land of the Orangi township and the Baldia Town cottage industry under the supervision of the municipal commissioner and the members of the relevant coordination committee.

The direction came on a petition of Mohammad Ferozuddin Hilaly against the illegal encroachment of the land meant for the Orangi township and the Baldia cottage industry. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) filed a report mentioning that a notification has been issued by the competent authority regarding the illegal encroachment of the land of Orangi Town and the Baldia cottage industry.

The KMC official said that a coordination committee under the chairmanship of the municipal commissioner has been constituted, adding that the body also comprises nine members. The court was informed that the demarcation of the entire land will be carried out to settle the dispute between the revenue department and the KMC.

The KMC official said that after the demarcation, the boundaries of the land used by the Orangi township and the Baldia cottage industry will be properly marked so that the departments concerned takes responsibility of safeguarding their land.

An SHC division bench comprising Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput and Justice Mohammad Faisal Kamal Alam said that considering the importance of these cottage industries that would definitely contribute towards revenue generation for the public exchequer and considerably reduce unemployment, concrete and expeditious decisions are required to be taken.

The bench directed the Karachi administrator, the deputy attorney general and the Sindh advocate general to appear before the court in person on the next date of hearing. The court ordered that the demarcation of the entire subject land be carried out under the supervision of the municipal commissioner and the members of the coordination committee.

The bench directed the survey superintendent to ensure that the demarcation is carried out within the stipulated time, and if any aid or assistance of the law enforcement agencies is required by the municipal commissioner to carry out the requisite task, he may approach the home secretary for the purpose.

Gulshan construction

In another matter pertaining to an unauthorised construction in Block 13-D of the Gulshan-e-Iqbal neighbourhood, the court directed the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) chief to submit a comprehensive report on the action taken against the builder for raising an unauthorised construction and against the SBCA officials posted at the time of the construction.

The court also directed the SBCA to take action against the relevant licensed architect and licensed inspecting engineer for committing violations, if any, of any of the relevant regulations under Part-III of the Karachi Building Control Licence Regulations of 1982.