ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to shift four out of the eleven slum settlements under the ambitious project of Modern Shelter Urban Programme, while the remaining seven will be developed.

Four of these Kutcha Abadis i.e Essa Nagri, Dhoke Najju, Haq Bahu and Muslim Colony of Nurpur Shahan are to be evacuated and shifted to Alipur Farash. UNDP is funding the project.

However, a CDA official confided to this correspondent that the plan could not be implemented on account of low funding allocated for the project. “I am sure the fate of these poor inhabitants will hang in the balance,” the official said.

Essa Nagri, housing Muslims and Christians, is reportedly located on the proposed site of a sewerage plant in I-9. Its shifting is under process. Haq Bahu and Dhoke Najju, both consisting of Muslim populace, have made illegal expansion to the I.J Principal Road. Whereas Muslim Colony, which houses 1500 families, has been dubbed a ‘security risk’ owing to its proximity with the PM House and its annexation of green belt, which has now brought it much closer to the Diplomatic Enclave.

The remaining seven slum settlements will be upgraded in their original places. The widening of streets in G-7/1 has been completed in this connection, but further development work has been stopped due to unknown reasons.

According to the plan, out of the total 41 Kutcha Abadis, only 11 have been recognized by the CDA and are to be upgraded or regularised. The rest will be removed without providing alternative place for the inhabitants.

Statistics gathered by this scribe showed that over 1,00,000 people are living in these settlements. Every Kutcha Abadi houses at least 3,500 persons. The number of houses ranges from 300 to 500. Like other parts of the country, here too women outnumber men. The total area occupied by these Kutcha Abadis spans 300 acres.

Hansa & Charles Colony of G-8 consists of 550 houses. It’s purely a Christian colony and its population exceeds 6,000 people. France Colony of F7-4, which bears least resemblance with the glamourous life of Paris, bewails the lot of its dwellers, both Muslims and Christians. The three settlements of G-7 i.e Tent Colony, 66 Quarters and 48 Quarters have 650, 551 and 300 houses respectively, accommodating over 20,000 people. 100 Quarters of F-6/2 houses 4,500 people. CDA is mulling evacuation of Afghan Basti at I-11/1 to Alipur Farash if some of the Afghan refugees do not leave for their country under UNHCR programme.

It has been observed that the inhabitants of these Kutcha Abadis lack basic amenities of life. Water is a rare commodity in these areas. Women with staggering steps carrying heavy canes of water is a common sight here. Some of the slum dwellers have got illegal water connections which can be terminated any time. Standard sewerage system is not in place resulting in the outbreak of various diseases.