TMA Swat begins mega anti-encroachment drive

Body had previously issued notices to the shopkeepers giving them one month to remove items congesting roads.

SWAT:

In the first such operation in 25 years, the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Mingora has started removing illegal encroachments from the roads and bazaars of the town. They had previously issued notices to the shopkeepers and vendors, giving them one month to remove items in front of their shops that were congesting the roads.

After the deadline passed, the administration teamed up with security forces and police, and started removing billboards, pushcarts and other items placed outside the permissible limits of the shops.

Swat Tehsil Municipal Officer Nisar Khan is overseeing the operation with army officers and the Mingora Trader’s Association president.

He told The Express Tribune, “We had given the traders a deadline but only a few of them followed the instructions [leaving us with no choice but to launch this operation]. We will strictly enforce the rules to keep Mingora Bazaar clean.”

He added, “No shopkeeper will be allowed to dump goods on the footpath and any goods found there in the future will be seized.”

The move has been highly appreciated by people from all walks of life across the valley.

“This was a very necessary step – Mingora was getting narrower day by day. The very first sight upon entering Mingora gave a bad impression to tourists. Today, every road and market of Mingora seems so open and clean. We hope the TMA will take this seriously and will continue to pursue this,” said Fazle Rabi Rahi, a local journalist.

He added, “But a little care is also important and TMA should not bother those who are following the rules.”

Former Tehsil Nazim Fazal Rahman Nono once initiated a similar operation to remove encroachments but was discouraged by the traders’ association and the political set up of the day.

Mingora is the main financial hub of Swat District. It is the gateway to Swat Valley and, with narrow roads and traffic jams, the only exit point from the valley.

“The anti-encroachment campaign should not be limited to Mingora, rather it should be extended to other areas like Saidu Sharif, Charbagh,  Barikot, Khwaza Khela, Kabal and Matta,” said Sajjad Ahmad, a resident of Khwaza Khela.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2011.