Curbing growth: CDA seeks interior ministry’s help to clear slums

Minster informs Senate that around 12 illegal slums operating in the city

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has sought the help of the Ministry of Interior to clear illegal slums in the federal capital.

Minister for Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada informed lawmakers in the upper house of Parliament on Friday that there are around 12 illegal slums operating in the capital, adding that they are bases for a significant amount of criminal activities in the city.

He informed the house that CDA has presented a plan to the Ministry of Interior to either change their status or to dislodge them.

The minister also listed the 10 recognised slums on CDA land. They include Dhoke Naju in I-10/4, Haq Bahu I-11/4, Isa Nagri along IGP Road, Muslim Colony near Bari Imam, Hansa Colony in G-8/1, Tent Colony in G-7/1, 66 Quarters in G-7/2, 48 Quarters in G-7/3, 100 Quarters in F-6/2 and France Colony F-7/4.

There are many other slums, he added, for which there is presently no regularistion mechanism. There are about 12 illegal slums in Islamabad, the locations of which include sectors G-6, G-7, G-8, H-9, H-11, H-12, I-11 and I-12.

While the CDA Enforcement Directorate takes some action against illegal sums, he said, it has now paired up with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to curb their rampant growth.

Earlier, Senator Chaudary Tanvir Khan of the PML-N drew the attention of the minister in-charge of the Cabinet Division to the rapid increase in the number of slums across the country, especially in the ICT. He criticised civic authorities for failing to take adequate action against illegal slums, some of which also house illegal immigrants.

He pointed to a failure on the part of the CDA to provide affordable housing to the poor, which was forcing them to seek refuge in slums. He cited the example of Sohrab Goth in Karachi, which was established in the 1960’s, saying that it has grown at such a rapid pace that security forces had to carry out operations there, which resulted in massive loss of life and property.

Moreover, he pointed to the illegal and unconstitutional construction work in the outskirts of the federal capital, adding that the CDA was ignoring them and thus was not fulfilling its responsibility.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2015.