LAHORE – Around 97 percent of government land is still under illegal control of land grabbers despite a massive anti-encroachment drive running at full throttle for the last 25 days.
The anti-encroachment campaign was launched on March 11 and the government has retrieved only three percent of the total encroached upon land so far. According to sources in the DCO office, the drive is about to be wrapped up within the next two or three days, which means that the rest of the illegally occupied land will remain in the possession of squatters and Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif’s dream to have an encroachment-free city will remain a dream. As per data available with Pakistan Today, only 3,111 kanals out of total 85,046 kanals have been reclaimed during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.
Data revealed that in Lahore, city’s land mafia has encroached upon 27,877 kanals of land. Of this, 5,036 kanals is owned by the provincial government,, 18,773 kanals owned by the federal government, 735 kanals owned by the Auqaf Department and 3,105 kanals by various departments.
It further revealed that in Lahore, encroachers have encroached upon a total of 42,858 kanals of land, out of which 8,944 kanals of land is the property of the provincial government, 28,765 kanals of federal government, 1,592 kanals of the Auqaf Department and 3,297 kanals land of other public sector departments.
Even at the tehsil level, the land mafia has encroached upon 14,311 kanals of land, out of which, the provincial government owns 3,721 kanals of land, the federal government owns 677 kanals of land, the Auqaf Department owns 705 kanals of land and 1,915 kanals land is under the ownership of various departments.
Though the anti-encroachment drive is far away from it target, DCO Ahad Cheema has planed to wrap up the campaign. He announced extended it until April 5. However, he again extended the drive for two days on Tuesday April 5 in seven towns including Shalamar Town, Samnabad Town, Gulberg Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Wahga Town, Nishtar Town and Allama Iqbal Town and announced that it would continue in Data Gunj Baksh Town and Ravi Town.
The DCO held a review meeting at his office on April 5. Taking notice of the absence of those officers deputed to check the re-emergence of the encroachments, he ordered departmental action against them. He warned that if encroachers reoccupied, beat in charge and LDA staff would be sacked forthwith. In order to check reoccurrence of encroachments Cheema has appointed Supervisory Staff Officers (STOs).
The DCO directed them not to allow hand pushcarts to encroach upon thoroughfares and bazaars and take prompt action against violators. He showed dissatisfaction over the performance of LDA officials and ordered them to cooperate with town administration in the drive. He ordered the officials to take permanent measures to check the re-emergence of enroachments.
As per a public notice published in newspapers on Tuesday, the encroachment drive was underway on Ferozepur Road, Bhati Chowk, Harbanspura, Moza Panj Ghazi Abad, Khokar Shahdira Railway Crossing Road, Moza Khudpura Multan road, Baghbanpura, Moza Sajpal Lahore Cantt, Managa Mandi, Dallu Khurd Lahore Cantt, Attu Asal Lahore Cantt, Tehpanchu Main Kachah Road, Manga Tehar Manga Mandi, Rakh Bangali Barki Road, Shahdra agriculture land, Raiwind Main Bazar, Jogan Lodahray, Nehla near Manga Raiwind Road, Circular Road opposite Lorri Adda, Federal Colony, Ichrah Muslim Town, Qila Gujjar Singh, Moza Mazang, Shahdra River Ravi, Nolakha opposite Nolakha Police Station, Qila Gujjar Singh Lakshami Chowk, Queens Road, Sandan Kalan,, Mazang Lawarance Road and Bangali Village.
