A World Bank consultant Naseer Memon has urged residents occupying the right of way of Akram Canal to voluntarily remove encroachments after receiving financial compensation.
He held discussions with residents of several villages who have been partially compensated to either remove their residential or commercial structures from the embankments or relocate to another location.
The Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA), which plans to undertake a $120 million rehabilitation project for the 110-kilometre Akram Canal, has been allocated Rs550.126 million by the provincial government to compensate 1,647 affected households.
Currently, Rs295 million has been disbursed to residents of 837 houses along the canal, which stretches from Kotri Barrage, through Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan, to Badin.
Memon stated, "It is now a moral obligation for those who have received compensation to remove encroachments as instructed by SIDA, taking into consideration the effects of climate change." He noted that for the first time, people residing in structures built on government land have been compensated to help them rebuild their homes.
During anti-encroachment drives in 2020 and 2021, SIDA demolished numerous houses and commercial structures. Some individuals claim that their villages along the canal were razed in 2018. However, there are still several structures standing in the canal's right of way. Women and people with disabilities are receiving three times the compensation amount compared to ordinary individuals, while houses with shops, cattle pens, and other businesses are also being paid a higher sum.
In a meeting with SIDA officers, Memon urged them to ensure strict adherence to the demolition of structures within the impact corridor. Javed Hakeem Memon, General Manager of Research and Development at SIDA, informed the bank's consultant that SIDA teams are closely monitoring to prevent new structures from being built within the impact corridor.
SIDA spokesperson Hizbullah Mangrio stated that the expression of interest for hiring a consultant has been announced, and the tender process to select a firm for the rehabilitation project will commence in August or September. According to Mangrio, the World Bank will contribute 74.2% of the $120 million project cost through a loan, while the Sindh government will provide the remaining 25.8% through budgetary allocation.
The project will be executed under the Sindh Irrigation and Water Transformation (SWAT) program. It will involve the construction of four cross regulators, 13 head regulators,
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2023.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ