Charities hit hard by KMC’s encroachment drive
Operation has disrupted emergency rescue services, provision of aid to the needy
PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has demolished roadside installations and booths set up by various welfare organisations across the city as part of the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. While the welfare organisations, including the Edhi Foundation, Chhipa Welfare Trust, Alamgir Welfare Trust, Saylani Welfare and Falah-e-Insaniat Trust, cry foul, the KMC claims the operation is being carried out on the Supreme Court's orders, aimed at making Karachi free of encroachments.
Faisal Edhi, who heads the Edhi Foundation, lamented that the campaign to retrieve the KCR land had not only deprived the underprivileged of their livelihoods, but was also depriving them of emergency rescue services now.
In addition to the 10 emergency booths demolished during the drive, the KMC has also razed three food distribution points, known as 'Awami Dastarkhwans', operated by the Edhi Foundation.
Emergency booths
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faisal said that the emergency response centres were established after obtaining formal permission from the local administration and did not affect public commute in any manner. Moreover, the majority of the booths were established at 'black spots', known to have a high incidence of traffic accidents. The said booths were established around 15 years ago, after the locations were identifed in a research supervised by renowned surgeon Abdul Rasheed Jumma. The research identified the points where a high number of road accidents were reported due to over speeding and violation of traffic rules.
According to Faisal Edhi, the booths set up at 10 locations across the city, were the backbone of the communications system of the Edhi Foundation's ambulance and rescue services. Any calls or messages received for assistance would be directed from the central command system to these booths, which would then relay them to the ambulances closest to the area. "The removal of these booths, in the name of ending encroachments, is causing difficulties in shifting injured persons to hospitals," said Faisal, adding that their relief work during the recent heat wave were also disrupted due to the demolition of the booths.
High-risk zone
According to Faisal, the emergency booth in Mehmoodabad was the most important as the area was found to have the highest incidence of road accidents. It was for this very reason that permission from authorities was sought to set up a booth there. "A traffic chowki built on a footpath next to the demolished Edhi booth in Mehmoodabad remains unaffected," said Faisal.
Besides, the largest booth was located near the trauma centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. The KMC, terming the booth a hindrance, had issued three notices to the foundation, warning it that the booth would be removed. "We then reduced its size, which ended the KMC's reservation, but they unexpectedly demolished it anyway," said Faisal.
Similarly, a cradle installed outside the Edhi Centre located at Tower, where people could leave their unwanted babies for adoption, was also demolished. "The shade was not a source of hindrance to the mobility of the public," lamented Faisal, adding that the cafes and roadside shops set up in the same street remain unaffected.
A reactionary move
Faisal alleged that action against the Edhi Foundation was a reaction to the support it extended to the scores of poor persons who were rendered homeless due to the joint operation conducted by the KMC and Railway Police.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faisal said that he had raised a voice in support of the affectees and asked the authorities to either halt the operation or slow it down until an alternative space could be provided to the affectees. The Karachi Commissioner, however, refused to exempt the residential homes or slow down the pace of the operation, he claimed. "Karachiites are being punished for supporting the victims," said Faisal.
The foundation's chair said that he had contacted the Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani after the booths were razed. The minister spoke to the relevant deputy commissioner, who was unaware of the action. The DC, Faisal claimed, said that the KMC was behind the operation.
Court's orders
Meanwhile, the KMC's officials claim that the operation is being carried on the orders of the Supreme Court, which has tasked it with making Karachi free of encroachments.
The KMC's Anti-Encroachment Department, acting on the directives of the Karachi mayor, conducted an operation in District Central and demolished as many as 65 offices and dastarkhwans run by welfare institutions. The operation in District East was conducted on June 12.
As part of the operation, roadside installations run by several organisations in Gulberg, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad near the Board Office, North Karachi, Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi, Golimar and Power House Chowrangi have been razed.
The KMC's Anti-Encroachment Department had earlier issued three notices to the aforementioned welfare institutions to remove their offices, dastarkhwans and cages from the footpaths, saying that footpaths are meant for pedestrians, hence permission for welfare or business activities cannot be granted.
The action will be taken in all the districts of the city to avoid traffic jams and open the footpaths for pedestrians, the mayor has said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2019.
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has demolished roadside installations and booths set up by various welfare organisations across the city as part of the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. While the welfare organisations, including the Edhi Foundation, Chhipa Welfare Trust, Alamgir Welfare Trust, Saylani Welfare and Falah-e-Insaniat Trust, cry foul, the KMC claims the operation is being carried out on the Supreme Court's orders, aimed at making Karachi free of encroachments.
Faisal Edhi, who heads the Edhi Foundation, lamented that the campaign to retrieve the KCR land had not only deprived the underprivileged of their livelihoods, but was also depriving them of emergency rescue services now.
In addition to the 10 emergency booths demolished during the drive, the KMC has also razed three food distribution points, known as 'Awami Dastarkhwans', operated by the Edhi Foundation.
Emergency booths
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faisal said that the emergency response centres were established after obtaining formal permission from the local administration and did not affect public commute in any manner. Moreover, the majority of the booths were established at 'black spots', known to have a high incidence of traffic accidents. The said booths were established around 15 years ago, after the locations were identifed in a research supervised by renowned surgeon Abdul Rasheed Jumma. The research identified the points where a high number of road accidents were reported due to over speeding and violation of traffic rules.
According to Faisal Edhi, the booths set up at 10 locations across the city, were the backbone of the communications system of the Edhi Foundation's ambulance and rescue services. Any calls or messages received for assistance would be directed from the central command system to these booths, which would then relay them to the ambulances closest to the area. "The removal of these booths, in the name of ending encroachments, is causing difficulties in shifting injured persons to hospitals," said Faisal, adding that their relief work during the recent heat wave were also disrupted due to the demolition of the booths.
High-risk zone
According to Faisal, the emergency booth in Mehmoodabad was the most important as the area was found to have the highest incidence of road accidents. It was for this very reason that permission from authorities was sought to set up a booth there. "A traffic chowki built on a footpath next to the demolished Edhi booth in Mehmoodabad remains unaffected," said Faisal.
Besides, the largest booth was located near the trauma centre of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. The KMC, terming the booth a hindrance, had issued three notices to the foundation, warning it that the booth would be removed. "We then reduced its size, which ended the KMC's reservation, but they unexpectedly demolished it anyway," said Faisal.
Similarly, a cradle installed outside the Edhi Centre located at Tower, where people could leave their unwanted babies for adoption, was also demolished. "The shade was not a source of hindrance to the mobility of the public," lamented Faisal, adding that the cafes and roadside shops set up in the same street remain unaffected.
A reactionary move
Faisal alleged that action against the Edhi Foundation was a reaction to the support it extended to the scores of poor persons who were rendered homeless due to the joint operation conducted by the KMC and Railway Police.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faisal said that he had raised a voice in support of the affectees and asked the authorities to either halt the operation or slow it down until an alternative space could be provided to the affectees. The Karachi Commissioner, however, refused to exempt the residential homes or slow down the pace of the operation, he claimed. "Karachiites are being punished for supporting the victims," said Faisal.
The foundation's chair said that he had contacted the Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani after the booths were razed. The minister spoke to the relevant deputy commissioner, who was unaware of the action. The DC, Faisal claimed, said that the KMC was behind the operation.
Court's orders
Meanwhile, the KMC's officials claim that the operation is being carried on the orders of the Supreme Court, which has tasked it with making Karachi free of encroachments.
The KMC's Anti-Encroachment Department, acting on the directives of the Karachi mayor, conducted an operation in District Central and demolished as many as 65 offices and dastarkhwans run by welfare institutions. The operation in District East was conducted on June 12.
As part of the operation, roadside installations run by several organisations in Gulberg, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad near the Board Office, North Karachi, Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi, Golimar and Power House Chowrangi have been razed.
The KMC's Anti-Encroachment Department had earlier issued three notices to the aforementioned welfare institutions to remove their offices, dastarkhwans and cages from the footpaths, saying that footpaths are meant for pedestrians, hence permission for welfare or business activities cannot be granted.
The action will be taken in all the districts of the city to avoid traffic jams and open the footpaths for pedestrians, the mayor has said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2019.