SHC declares KBCA negligent

SHC said KBCA and the city government are responsible for illegal construction all over the city.

KARACHI: The Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) and the city government are not performing their job properly, which is why illegal construction is going on all over the city, said the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday.

A two-member bench of the SHC led by Justice Mushir Alam heard the constitutional petition of Jamiat Sodagran Delhi, which stated that there are illegal constructions on two plots, situated in Allahwala Town, Korangi.

That land had originally been reserved for the construction of a girls’ college and a public park but now these plots have been divided into small portions, where residential houses are being built. The petition requested the court to declare these houses as illegal. The KBCA shifted the blame, saying that they were not concerned with these constructions since this was the town administration’s domain.

The court said illegal constructions are being carried out on a large scale in the city and government departments are merely shifting responsibility rather than taking decisive action.

It is the responsibility of KBCA, the city district government, the anti-encroachment cell and the town administration to solve this issue.

The bench decided to form a team constituting senior members of KBCA, city government and town administration to carry out an inquiry.

The team must submit a report on the status of these plots and constructions within three weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2010.