DERA GHAZI KHAN  -  The anti-encroachment drive launched by the district administration and the municipal corporation continues in DG Khan district.

Teams of district administration commenced the operation on Railway Road, Hospital Road, Pul Dat, Jampur Road, and Faisal Chowk on the orders of DG Khan Deputy Commissioner Ali Akbar Bhatti. The teams have demolished permanent structures erected along the roads. A large number of police personnel accompany the anti-encroachment team.

Talking to The Nation, DC Ali Akbar Bhatti said: "State land worth Rs666.4 million has been retrieved by the teams; more than six hundred illegal encroachments have been removed; encroachers were imposed a collective fine of Rs364,000; two of them were booked. He reiterated that the Punjab government adopted a zero tolerance policy towards the land grabbers.

Talking to The Nation, Kot Chutta Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Mohsin said: "Inter-provincial Indus (National) Highway crossing in the Kot Chutta City has been cleared from illegal encroachment on the both sides of the road, which is a big achievement of the anti-encroachment drive. Now 66 feet wide national highway road is available in the centre of city for all kind of traffic flow."

Imtiaz vowed that state land of Sakhi Sarwar Town as well as of Forest Department would also be recovered from land mafia in the upcoming next days. He stated that the operation against encroachment would remain continue without break and kept under observation constantly to avoid re-encroachment. He added that in second phase of the operation, the encroachers would be booked and penalized under the law.

When The Nation approached the Chief Officer of Municipal Corporation DG Khan Amjad Hussain, he said that Punjab government was taking it serious to remove the encroachments because they created hurdles in smooth flow of traffic. He added that important areas like main roads, educational institutions & health facilities, illegal plazas & commercial buildings and important crossings, corners of roads etc were being given more importance in Anti-Encroachment Drive.

He claimed that all the Chief Officers in Punjab has assigned to ensure removal of encroachments, both movable and immovable, from the posh areas first in close coordination with the local administration and police. Pro-active approach and indiscriminate operations were being conducted for success of the drive.

 "No pressure will be considered in this regard."