KARACHI, Jan 5: Sindh government will distribute 1.849 million acres of katcha land among the people of the respective areas.

This was stated by the Secretary Forest and Wildlife, Shamsul Huq Memon, while presiding over a meeting to discuss an improvement in the socio-economic conditions of people living in the katcha areas of Sindh.

He said that the land distribution would help eliminate unemployment and alleviate poverty in the interior areas of the province.

The Nazim of Ghotki, Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar, citing poor law and order in the katcha area, shortage of river water and growing unemployment, had urged the provincial government to distribute katcha land among the local residents and growers.

In the first phase, lands would be distributed in Ghotki, Sukkur, Jacobabad and Shikarpur districts while in the next one, more areas would be covered.

Mr Memon said that the government had already constituted a steering committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of Planning and Development, which decided at its first meeting that a PC-II on the base-line survey of katcha areas would be prepared by the Forest Department and the provincial Board of Revenue.

He said that the project would be made feasible with an aim of bringing an unproductive land, high-lying forest and other state-owned land available with BOR, back into production in accordance with the participatory partnership and community-based district government programme.

The secretary said that the project also included establishment of schools, hospitals, small cottage industries, milk plants, dairy industries, road network, electrification and tubewells for the development of the areas.

He directed the concerned officials to prepare data of natural resources, particularly of forest, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, etc., and collect information about existing facilities of roads, electricity, irrigation, health, education and drinking water.

He suggested that topography of these areas be carried out by the Forest Department with the cooperation of SUPARCO to demarcate hydrological features of the area.

He said that due attention would be paid to the exploration of sub-soil sweat water reserves.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Conservator, Forest, Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh, Conservator Wildlife, Munir Ahmed Awan besides conservators of Hyderabad, Thatta, Larkana and Sukkur.—APP