By: Staff Reporter
Badin — In a landmark judicial intervention, the Court of Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate, Golarchi, has ordered a comprehensive crackdown on illegal encroachments, traffic mismanagement, water theft, sanitation failures and civic neglect across Taluka Shaheed Fazil Rahu, Golarchi, Kario Ghanwar and Khorwah, marking one of the most extensive court-led governance actions in Badin’s recent history.
The conditional order, issued under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C.) by Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Irfan Ali Khowaja, followed multiple Criminal Miscellaneous Applications filed by local residents, farmers and civil society members who highlighted persistent public nuisance, unlawful occupation of public land, irrigation injustices and the collapse of essential municipal services.
After conducting personal inspections of affected areas and reviewing reports submitted by municipal, irrigation, police, health and transport departments, the court observed widespread illegal encroachments on roads, streets, canals, drainage systems, water supply installations, graveyards and hospital surroundings. The court noted that shopkeepers, transport operators, cart vendors, land grabbers and influential individuals had unlawfully occupied public spaces, severely disrupting civic life.
The court further observed that illegal bus stops, rickshaw stands and roadside parking had paralysed traffic flow, while unauthorized encroachments on canals and distributaries—often allegedly backed by influential figures—had deprived tail-end farmers of their lawful irrigation water, threatening agriculture, livelihoods and regional food security.
In its detailed directives, the court ordered Assistant Commissioners, Town Committees, police and irrigation authorities to immediately remove all hard and soft encroachments from highways, urban roads and residential streets in strict compliance with official measurements. Encroachments on drainage lines, sim nalas and canals were ordered to be cleared to restore natural water flow and prevent flooding. Public spaces, including hospitals, markets, chowks, water supply schemes, RO/UF plants and graveyards, were also directed to be freed from illegal occupation.
Illegal transport terminals were ordered to be shut down immediately and relocated to the newly constructed federal bus terminal, while traffic signals and barricades were directed to be installed at key junctions, including Fazil Rahu Chowk, to improve traffic regulation and public safety.
Emphasising equitable water distribution, the court ordered the removal of all illegal cuts, pipes and machinery from canals and distributaries, strict enforcement of approved irrigation module sizes, and full compliance with existing High Court directives. Police and Rangers’ assistance was authorised to ensure effective implementation.
The court also took serious notice of the deteriorating state of Taluka Hospital Shaheed Fazil Rahu, citing chronic staff shortages, a non-functional operation theatre for the past 17 years, a defunct trauma centre allegedly marred by corruption and substandard construction, and reports of misuse of public funds. Health authorities were directed to ensure the availability of essential medicines and nutritional supplements, prevent the illegal sale of hospital medicines in private markets, restrict pharmaceutical representatives’ access to doctors, and take action against government doctors engaged in private practice. The matter was referred to the Sindh Minister and Secretary of Health for urgent intervention.
Addressing environmental and public health concerns, municipal authorities were ordered to remove accumulated garbage, toxic waste and stagnant sewage to curb the spread of diseases such as malaria, hepatitis and dengue. Regular fumigation drives were mandated, along with the establishment of animal shelters and regulated slaughterhouses to control stray cattle and ensure hygienic meat supply.
The court granted all affected parties 30 days to file objections. In case of non-compliance, the conditional order will automatically become absolute, triggering a large-scale enforcement operation across the region.
