KDA tells nursery owners to pay up

The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) has decided to launch an operation against land grabbers, encroachers including those who have set up illegal nurseries and structures on roads, pavements, parks and grounds.

Two departments - Parks and Sports & Recreation - will be responsible for the joint operation being carried out on the instructions of the KDA director general.

Sources said that the impending crackdown has created a stir among nursery owners - including those located in Gulistane- Johar, Scheme 33, and Gulshan Iqbal - as they owe the department tens of millions of rupees.

They added that final notices were being issued to the defaulting nursery owners.

If payment was not made immediately, the defaulting nurseries would be asked to vacate the land.

Sources added that dozens of nurseries had been established on service roads, including parks and grounds, without the approval of KDA.

They added that the owners had the patronage of 'influential individuals'.

Meanwhile, KDA Finance Member Kashif Khan has been tasked to ensure that the recovery target of all the departments of KDA are met.

A meeting was held two days ago in this regard.

Parks Director Haji Shakeel Khan and Sports Director Muhammad Jameel have directed the staff of their respective departments to prepare a list of illegal nurseries and other encroachments.

In this regard, Parks department's additional director, Muhammad Arif, has been made made the focal person.