Game Of Power: ‘Outsiders encroaching on lands’

SUKKUR:

The problem confronted by the people of the Barrage Colony is not much different, where more than 50 per cent of the quarters are occupied by outsiders.

A resident of the Barrage Colony, on the condition of anonymity, said everything was possible in the country under the influence of money and power.

The irrigation officials were subletting government quarters to the outsiders on a goodwill basis, he said, adding that he had paid Rs1 million, besides paying Rs3,000 as monthly rent.

According to him, the residents of the colony have encroached on the streets to extend their living quarters.

Some of the irrigation officials, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that most of them had been residing in the colony for many decades as their forefathers served in the irrigation department and after their retirement or death, their children were recruited on son quota.

Construction of these quarters, they said, was decades old and therefore regular maintenance was needed for their upkeep.

They said that the majority of the irrigation employees were not paid enough and despite long years of service, they had been unable to construct their own houses.

They demanded of the government to give ownership of these quarters to them so that they could secure the future of their children.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2013.