The concerned institutions have finalised preparations to begin a grand anti-encroachment operation on 12 major spots of Karachi which will be participated by teams of Pakistan Army and Rangers, it was learnt on Monday. The latest operation has been planned by the concerned institutions to remove the encroachments on drainage nullahs and rivers which caused a flood-like situation in every monsoon season. It will be participated by the teams of the Army, Rangers and representatives of the city administration. According to details, the anti-encroachment officials will begin action from three spots of Gujar Nullah and two areas near Lyari River. Three areas near Orangi Nullah and two near Malir River will be cleared, whereas, the anti-encroachment officials will also carry out an action on adjacent areas to Mehmoodabad Nullah. The grand operation will be supervised by concerned deputy commissioners along with teams of law enforcement agencies while additional officials of the anti-encroachment department were also summoned from other parts of Sindh. For the grand operation, 12 excavators have been summoned to clear around 30 feet wide areas on all nullahs and rivers, whereas, temporary camps will be established for providing shelter to the people residing on encroachments. It is to note that federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had said that an operation will be launched soon to remove encroachments on major drains of the city. Addressing a gathering in the provincial capital, the federal minister said that the government will resolve the problem of major nullahs of Karachi and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will work over the problem. The federal government and Sindh government will work jointly over the problems faced by the people of Karachi. He said sewerage, transport, water shortage and solid waste management issues will be resolved in coordination with the provincial government. Asad Umar said that a budget of billions of rupees will be allocated for the cleaning of Karachi. Earlier, provincial minister of local government Nasir Hussain Shah talking to media persons said that the coordination committee of Sindh and federal governments has decided to remove encroachments from the sewerage drains in Karachi. Encroachments with no residence will be removed from Monday, he said.
