Compensation issue: Deadline splits Bhatta Chowk traders
Traders start demolishing their shops voluntarily to avail the government offer for compensation.
LAHORE:
Some Bhatta Chowk traders on Monday started demolishing their shops voluntarily to avail the government offer for compensation
The government had said that those who voluntarily demolished (whole or) disputed part of their shops would get paid for the debris besides the compensation money.
Meanwhile, the government’s deadline for the shopkeepers to raze their shops on their own expired on Monday. However, a Project Management Unit official said the National Logistics Cell might extend the deadline if more traders start demolishing shops on their own.
Arif Butt, who was demolishing his shop, said he did not want to lose the promised compensation. “The project management unit officials had said that those who failed to demolish their shops by the deadline would only to get the compensation granted by a court,” he said.
He said the union was of no use. “The government is going to go ahead with demolitions. I don’t want to risk the amount it is offering right now. Its better that I raze my shop myself,” he said.
He said the shopkeepers who were to lose all entire shops were pushing for a hard bargain but those losing a part of their shops were only supporting the protests from the sidelines in the hope of a better compensation rate.
Another shopkeeper demolishing his shop said it was the first time that the government had developed a transparent system to compensate the people affected by a project.
He said the Revenue Department was offering assistance to those agreeing to the government’s terms. “They have asked us to sell the debris to them and then receive the payment of the land,” he said.
He said he had gone ahead with demolishing his shop because he was sure the union would not be successful in persuading the government committee to raise the compensation money.
Most shopkeepers, however, have still not started demolishing their shops.
Shafiq Ahmad, who would lose his entire shop, said he would wait until the government made a move. He said he was sure the Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz would lose its vote bank in the area if it went ahead with demolitions without a fair settlement. “Khawaja Saad Rafique will never be able to get elected to the National Assembly from this constituency,” he said.
Bhatta Chowk Traders’ Union chairman Muhammad Ashraf said that they launched a protest drive to persuade the government to stop the project. Now, he said, the union would move court to ask the government to increase the compensation amount from Rs800,000 to Rs1.25 million. However, he said, they would do so after all shopkeepers had been paid the promised Rs800,000.
“If we go to court without accepting the government offer, we might end up losing even that,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2011.
Some Bhatta Chowk traders on Monday started demolishing their shops voluntarily to avail the government offer for compensation
The government had said that those who voluntarily demolished (whole or) disputed part of their shops would get paid for the debris besides the compensation money.
Meanwhile, the government’s deadline for the shopkeepers to raze their shops on their own expired on Monday. However, a Project Management Unit official said the National Logistics Cell might extend the deadline if more traders start demolishing shops on their own.
Arif Butt, who was demolishing his shop, said he did not want to lose the promised compensation. “The project management unit officials had said that those who failed to demolish their shops by the deadline would only to get the compensation granted by a court,” he said.
He said the union was of no use. “The government is going to go ahead with demolitions. I don’t want to risk the amount it is offering right now. Its better that I raze my shop myself,” he said.
He said the shopkeepers who were to lose all entire shops were pushing for a hard bargain but those losing a part of their shops were only supporting the protests from the sidelines in the hope of a better compensation rate.
Another shopkeeper demolishing his shop said it was the first time that the government had developed a transparent system to compensate the people affected by a project.
He said the Revenue Department was offering assistance to those agreeing to the government’s terms. “They have asked us to sell the debris to them and then receive the payment of the land,” he said.
He said he had gone ahead with demolishing his shop because he was sure the union would not be successful in persuading the government committee to raise the compensation money.
Most shopkeepers, however, have still not started demolishing their shops.
Shafiq Ahmad, who would lose his entire shop, said he would wait until the government made a move. He said he was sure the Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz would lose its vote bank in the area if it went ahead with demolitions without a fair settlement. “Khawaja Saad Rafique will never be able to get elected to the National Assembly from this constituency,” he said.
Bhatta Chowk Traders’ Union chairman Muhammad Ashraf said that they launched a protest drive to persuade the government to stop the project. Now, he said, the union would move court to ask the government to increase the compensation amount from Rs800,000 to Rs1.25 million. However, he said, they would do so after all shopkeepers had been paid the promised Rs800,000.
“If we go to court without accepting the government offer, we might end up losing even that,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2011.