SHC riles CBC, DHA over commercialisation of beach

Bench hears petition of residents against plan to build restaurants and shops to 'beautify' Sea View

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to Advocate General Sindh (AG Sindh), Cantonment Board Clifton and DHA on the request of residents against setting up of restaurants and shops along the beach at Sea View. Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi remarked, "Do you people do any better job, what will happen if the whole coast is commercialised? This would not be appropriate for the residents there."

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi heard the petition of the residents against the plan to build restaurants and shops to beautify the Sea View. Petitioner's counsel Zubair Abaro said that a new project is being started in the name of Greenery. There will be 8 restaurants, 15 shops and many more activities. Environmental approval has been taken from SEPA, which was declared null and void by the tribunal. A new plan is illegal without an environmental assessment. Commercialising the beach will affect the natural environment. Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi remarked that people from across the city come to the beach and you are commercialising it. Someone ask them, are they doing any proper work. Trees were planted, all are uprooted in just six months. The court issued notices to Advocate General Sindh, Cantonment Board Clifton and DHA.

Illegal construction on school land

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to SBCA DG and the director of the slum area on the petition regarding China cutting on government school land in Qayyumabad.

Muhammad Furqan Qureshi, counsel for the petitioner, stated that a piece of land was divided into four plots. The land mafia carried out illegal construction on school land. The SBCA and related agencies are not fulfilling their responsibilities. The court issued notices to the DG SBCA and the Director of the slum area

Non-payment of salaries to BBHC staff

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has expressed frustration over the non-submission of records on the application of Benazir Bhutto Housing Cell (BBHC) employees for not releasing their salaries for over a year and directed them to appear before the concerned authorities at the next hearing.

The petitioner's counsel contended that the salaries of 44 employees had been released for over a year. The public prosecutor argued that the employees' contracts had expired in December 2020. The summary has been sent by the Chief Minister and approval of the cabinet is awaited. The matter will be resolved within a week of the petition by the public prosecutor, and a respite should be given. The officials of BBHC failed to produce the required record. The court adjourned the hearing till March 2.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2022.