KARACHI, Oct 3: The plan to develop the Gutter Baghicha site into a national park seems to be in the doldrums, as there has been no worthwhile progress so far, a survey showed.

The plan to convert the treatment site into a park was announced by the president during his referendum campaign when he visited Karachi last April.

He directed provincial and city government officials to take the appropriate measures for the implementation of the project.

Consequently, a meeting chaired by the district coordination officer was held here on July 4, which discussed various aspects to implement the project.

The meeting decided to restore the area for the establishment of a park. It was also decided that the hydrants operating in the area would be surveyed, and all illegal hydrants would be closed.

The meeting also took the decision that in the first phase, the park would be developed on the available vacant land, and the development work of roads should be carried out through the KPP, especially in front of the Site Public School.

On July 17 and 18, the city government launched a grand operation for the removal of encroachments and the dismantling of illegal hydrants, mostly operated by industrialists through Gutter Baghicha. During the two-day operation, over 50 illegal hydrants had been dismantled.

The operation was aimed at clearing the way for the construction of the national park, as this proposal was widely acclaimed by the people of Karachi.

Later, the operation was abruptly halted following a meeting of a group of industrialists with the provincial governor. The industrialists urged the government to suspend the operation for a month. The operation was halted immediately on the directive of the governor, despite the fact that the project was accorded top priority by the president.

Area residents alleged that the dismantled hydrants were once more being utilized by the industrialists with the connivance of the higher authorities.

A women labour councillor of the locality also sent a letter dated July 22 to the president and other high-ups protesting against the reopening of illegal hydrants. She suggested that work on the project should be handed over to the military authorities. She argued that the hydrant mafia and certain officials were allegedly involved in the water theft business.

Area residents wondered why there had been no progress on the development of the park site, despite frequent visits by high officials to the site who repeatedly pledged that work would be resumed shortly.

Over the years, Gutter Baghicha has become a hub of activity of the illegal hydrant operators because of the collusion of industrialists with the civilian authorities.

Despite the public hue and cry, no action has been taken against the powerful mafia, which has a roaring business going. As a result, a constant water crisis has been persisting in the residential areas of SITE Town including Old Golimar, Pak Colony, Rexer Lane and its adjoining areas.

“For years, the industrialists, in league with civilian officials, have built illegal hydrants in Gutter Baghicha after they were issued so-called NOCs”, a representative of a local NGO said.

According to him, another hurdle in the way of development of the national park is the land mafia, which has occupied a vast portion of the proposed site including areas which fall within the nearby graveyard.

A resident of the area said that the main cause of the encroachments was the facility provided to the encroachers by the KESC, KWSB and other agencies.

He said the situation demanded a grand operation for the removal of all sorts of encroachments, which should be carried out through a joint operation by the army and civilian authorities.