KARACHI-Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that the land of Baldia Town Cottage Industries is the asset of the citizens; Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had announced to establish Cottage Industries here in 1993-94 for the citizens of Karachi. There are clear orders of the court to give possession of the plots to the allottees and KMC is ready for it.
He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting regarding Cottage Industries Baldia Town in his office on Monday. On this occasion, Municipal Commissioner Syed Afzal Zaidi, Parliamentary Leader in City Council Najmi Alam, Mayor Karachi Representative for Political Affairs Karamullah Waqasi, heads of relevant departments of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and other officers were also present. Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Cottage Industries Baldia Town has an area of 348 acres in which 3,946 plots were allotted to the citizens, 128 of them were allotted to the allottees through balloting as commercial plots. The acquired land will be returned to them so that they can start their business, the possession of sectors A, B and C will be given to the allottees immediately while the sectors of cottage industries which are illegally occupied by some people will be vacated.
Wahab said that the purpose under which the cottage industry was established in Baldia Town should be fulfilled, even after a long time, small industries could not be established there due to the non-occupation of the allottees. Now we want that the factories be established as soon as possible so that employment opportunities be available to people.
During the meeting, the relevant officers of the Department of Land, Anti-Encroachment and Orangi Town Project of the KMC gave a briefing to mayor Karachi regarding the cottage industry and informed about the measures taken in this regard in different periods, upon which Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab directed that there is no room for further delay in this work and it has to be done at a fast pace to improve the city; it has to be seen that the project which was started by KMC in the larger interest of the city has reached at what stage and why it has not been completed. He said that allottees of Baldia Town Cottage Industry have the right to get their plot and this right will be given to them. There is an urgent need to promote industrial and commercial activities in the city, he maintained.