LAHORE ( STAFF REPORT )
On direction by the Prime Minister Imran Khan all the existing industrial units have been exempted from the area notified for Ravi Urban Development Project. These industries will now continue to function at their present places as usual and will not be relocated for this project. The residential localities which did not fall in the course of river will also not be acquired.
Spokesman for Ravi Urban Development Authority SM Imran and Senior Member Board of Revenue, Punjab, Babar Hayat Tarar disclosed this during a meeting with the local industrialists at Mehmood Booti area near Ring Road on Saturday. The two office bearers had called on the industrialists on the direction of the Prime Minister.
Local industrialists have welcomed Prime Minister’s pro-people decision and expressed complete satisfaction over the guarantee given to them. They have thanked the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chief Minister, Punjab, for removing apprehensions about their businesses by clarifying the situation in this regard. Announcing their support for the project, they have vowed to not to be misled or trapped by disinformation.
SM Imran briefed the industry owners about the details of the project and answered their questions in this connection. He told that Prime Minister has strictly directed for dislocating only unavoidable number of people. Therefore, settlements on 2500 acres of land will not be acquired for the project, he added.
He told that a large number of settlements have sprung up in the flood prone area of the Ravi river during the past few decades. These settlements were in grave danger due to the release of flood water by India at any time. Acquisition of such localities will be a compulsion, he added.
He informed that this was not mere a project but a complete city spreading on of 120,000 acres of land. It has been planned according to the modern planning standards and will be developed in three phases spanning over 30 years.
He told that in the first phase of the project, a 46 kilometers long lake will be set up by erecting 28 feet high walls on both sides of the river besides constructing barrages at three places. Seven water treatment plants will also be set up under this project which will treat 836 cusecs of water daily for supplying to the lake.
This lake will be used for collecting water and for saving it from being wasted. This water could then be used for irrigation purposes in an area of 340 km along the river, he added. He said that the construction of this lake would improve ground water level in Lahore.
He further informed that this will be an environment friendly city where six million saplings will be planted and 10,000 acres of land will be set aside for forest and orchards.