The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday ordered the Deputy Commissioner Malir to take custody of the illegal cattle market’s plot near Thado Dam. A bench of the high court was hearing petition of a villager, Mohammad Bux Palari, with regard to disposal of excretions and garbage from the illegal cattle market into Thado dam reservoir. The bench while ordering the DC Malir to take custody of the illegal cattle market, it also restrained from sale or transfer of the concerned plot. The court directed the chief secretary to constitute a high-level committee and ordered that legal action should be taken against the officials involved in the matter after the findings of the committee. The bench also ordered removal of illegal encroachments.

Earlier, Assistant Advocate General told the court that a man Jameel Ahmed has illegally grabbed a four-acre plot of the land. Petitioner’s counsel Dawood Narejo said that a man Jameel has made an illegal cattle market and excretions of livestock and other garbage being discharged into the water of Thado dam. “Scores of diseases spread with the use of the contaminated water of the reservoir,” the counsel further said. “Illegal cattle market has not been removed from the plot despite various applications to police and other government departments,” the lawyer added. The counsel of defendant Jameel Ahmed told the bench that his client has got the land on lease. It is to be mentioned here that Thado dam has been a retention reservoir built near Karachi on local rivers for storing rainwater.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan