Lyari Expressway: human settlement issues
A project directorate has already been set up to facilitate acquisition of plots in the various public housing schemes spread in the fringes of the city. In early April 2003, they even approached some nationalized commercial banks through the State Bank of Pakistan for loaning assistance.
However this resettlement attempt is in gross violation of internationally accepted norms as well as the wishes of the people. An international fact-finding mission visited Karachi in March this year at the request of the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) and the Habitat International Coalition (HIC)— the two prime bodies related to the rights of housing and associated issues. The mission comprised members from Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines.
It conducted interviews with the stakeholders of the project and studied the design and implementation mechanism. After its fieldwork and corresponding analysis, the mission released its interim report which shall be followed by a detailed final report covering the issues in an elaborate manner. Several specific concerns were cited by the mission in its initial report which were also presented in public meetings.
The mission pointed out the discrepancy in the basic statistics of the affected families which has prevailed for a considerable period of time. Government functionaries claim the affected households as 16000 while the people and various research organizations have estimated this number as 25000, based on the actual field findings.
Despite the fact that it has been cited on more than one occasion, the concerned governmental departments have not bothered to authenticate the claims outlined by the various research organizations. In addition, the government departments have refused to show the full list of the affected families. It is only a partial list which is made available and that too after a great deal of hassle. In short the whole attempt of the government’s estimates of the affected is nebulous.
A sizable number of communities identified for eviction possess duly validated leases. The people, after securing legitimate rights of residence had to put up a massive effort to consolidate themselves. This process was spread on to several decades. They have acquired water, gas, electricity and telephone lines through their own efforts. In contrast to the investments made by the people in their services and houses/settlements, the government has announced a uniform package of compensation to all the evicted persons.
This package is neither commensurate with the cost or price of the houses nor takes into account the loss of locational advantage the people would have to bear as a consequence. As a norm, the settlement in general and the houses in particular constitute people’s savings which they have done over the period of time. They are being deprived of their assets without even accounting for a fraction of losses inflicted on them.
The project management has been concealing vital information and decisions from the people and professionals. The fact-finding mission complained that they were not shown the detailed plans of LEW re-settlements action plan and environmental impact assessment. The timetable of the evictions is also kept secret which adds to the agony of the residents. Demolitions start suddenly with no prior warnings given to the people.
Communities pointed out that due to the ‘shock’ of sudden demolition of their houses, two residents died recently. Resettlement is a cumbersome procedure. It take at least six months to get a plot allotted. The affected families have to rent a house and then go through the hassle of shifting twice. The meagre Rs50,000 paid as the overall compensation gets spent in this interim period. The government functionaries must be knowing it all too well that not even a proper toilet can be built in Rs50,000, let alone a house.
A great deal of resentment is building up in the communities which consider the government actions unjust and unethical.The government has taken very inadequate steps to deal with the crisis compared to the human plight they have caused to happen.
Against 4000 families awaiting resettlement, 500 houses have been reported to be under construction. Infrastructure was yet to be provided. Education, health and social welfare facilities are not yet developed. They exist only at a distance from the resettlement site. Transportation is scanty and does not ply after 10 p.m. According to a report, a sick child died because the affected family could not take him to the hospital.
The mission consulted the technical committee. The committee reported a blackout on information which made the whole project entirely shady. The committee also reported that they were shown only the satellite maps of the area. No project details were shown to them. Besides the process of executing evictions are most unprofessional and unethical.
The evicted persons receive some slips mentioning that their dwellings are earmarked for demolition and that they would receive a flat compensation of Rs50,000. After receiving the slips, the demolition could take place any time totally unannounced. Heavy contingents of law enforcing agencies flanked by officials of the city government invade the site catching the residents by surprise. Normally this is done on a working day so that the male members of households are away for work. According to one government official, such a clandestine move is organised to avoid any resistance from the residents.
The mission also studied the Land Acquisition Act of Pakistan which lays down the conditions and procedures for acquiring land by the government for any cause of public interest. However in the LEW, no such procedure is followed which greatly adds to the harms and shocks of the residents. Besides, on the review of city plans and development strategies developed for the city of Karachi, it was found that LEW is merely a highway project.
It has never been a part of any larger city plan. Interestingly, the Northern
Bypass which was developed in the Karachi Master Plan 1973-85 and other following plans, has been left at the back burner. Despite the fact that it is technically logical and socially viable, Northern Bypass is currently ignored. The whole resettlement exercise has done considerable damage to the livelihoods of people. Demolition and dislocation of shops and commercial enterprises, loss of jobs to various workers and shut down of several vendor operations which were feasible only in Lyari are a few outcomes in this regard.
The mission has drawn four interim conclusions. One, the feasibility of the LEW is doubtful. This is ascertained by the fact that the government resents sharing project information and is not keen to convene the technical committee for review. Two, the objective of the city government to clear Lyari corridor and provide these poor a decent housing is faulty and disastrous. The poor will not be able to recover from this shock before at least a decade.
It is also against the regularization process of settlements to which Pakistan claims a success. Three, communication gap between the people and government is rising. And four, the whole attempt is in contravention to international agreements such as the international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Pakistan is also a signatory. The mission recommended to activate the technical committee; initiate a project review and stop the evictions concurrently conduct a comprehensive socio-economic survey jointly by the government, civil society organizations and the people; ensure adequate representation of the targeted groups and hold another fact finding mission after no more than six months.