راوی اربن ڈیویلپمنٹ پراجیکٹ: لاہور ہائی کورٹ نے ’دریائے راوی کے کنارے نئے شہر‘ کے منصوبے کو کالعدم قرار دے دیا

A single bench of the Lahore High Court comprising Justice Shahid Karim ruled on various petitions filed against the project, stating that the legal requirements for completion of the project had not been met. According to the court, the land for the project was acquired contrary to the law of 1894. The court also ruled that the amended ordinance for the project under the constitution failed to meet the rules and regulations. The petitions filed against the project also raised allegations of violating the rules for acquiring land for the project as well as ignoring the environmental impact of the project. The court had reserved judgment on the petitions on completion of arguments on the 21st of last month and the verdict was pronounced on Tuesday. The Punjab government has decided to file an appeal against the decision. Advocate General Punjab Ahmed Owais while talking to BBC said that an appeal would be filed against the decision of the High Court. Also read Order for the demolition of the Navy Sailing Club and criminal proceedings against those responsible, including the former naval chief CDA ordered to seal Monal Restaurant and take over Navy Golf Course Efforts to save Imran Khan's residence in Bani Gala Justice Shahid Karim, while ruling on the petitions, declared several provisions of the Rhoda Act illegal and assured that no master plan had been prepared under the Rhoda Act. Justice Shahid Karim ruled that any scheme made without a master plan is illegal. The Lahore High Court held that the master plan of Ravi Urban Development Project is the basic document and all the schemes are characteristic of the master plan. The court ruled that agricultural land could be acquired under a formal legal framework. The decision said that the status of the notification issued for acquisition of land was also illegal as the law was not followed for land acquisition in Lahore and Sheikhupura. The Lahore High Court also directed the Rhoda Authority to repay the loan obtained from the Punjab government within two months. What is Ravi Urban Development Project? The cornerstone of the Ravi Urban Development Project was laid on August 7, 2020 and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan in September last year. The total area of the project was one lakh two thousand acres. When the project was launched by the Punjab government, it was announced that it would be completed in three phases. For the first phase, more than 4,300 acres of land was acquired by the government in 16 villages around Ferozwala 

Tehsil of Sheikhupura District. According to the map, Phase-I of the project covers a total area of 22,705 acres, including 9,515 acres on the left bank of the Ravi River, 7,034 on its right bank, 6,156 acres on the river bank, 2,200 acres on the island and 612 acres. Includes scattered settlements. Residents and landowners in the area said they were not willing to give up their land for the project. He had alleged that he was being pressured by the government. There were protests from farmers in the area and others affected by the traditional project, but work on the project continued. On the other hand, the Punjab government has been claiming that the project will create housing for about 8 million people and create jobs for 2 million people. The government also claimed that three barrages would be constructed on the project which would store a total of 585,000 cusecs of water. Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the project, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the project would also help in stabilizing the ground water level in Lahore. He had said that there was a plan to build a lake here which would present it as a complete 'ecosystem'. At the same time, 6 million plants will be planted and 1.8 million housing units will be built. It may be recalled that earlier in 2014, former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also prepared a feasibility report regarding the same project but further work on it was stopped by the government.