RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE (OPP-RTI)
THE NEW SECURE HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM – SUPPORT TO GOTHS IN KARACHI.
There are 2,173 old traditional settlements (OPP-RTI’s latest list) mostly in the 3 peripheral towns of Karachi - Gadap, Bin Qasim and Kemari. These rural settlements, housing the poor are known as “Goths”. With land value becoming high in Karachi, the city’s development is fast expanding into the peripheral towns so, the Goths are threathened with eviction, by the City Govt. Around January 2006 attempts at this were stopped, due to peoples resistance and media coverage which brought about the intervention of the Chief Minister (CM). In more cases people have successfully resisted evictions. Around June’10 again evictions by CDGK began in these peripheral areas. However it was soon stopped by the current CM, a committee has been formed to stop such evictions in the future. Effort is to strengthen the resistance and move towards secure housing, development of infrastructure/facilitates and land tenure. Master mapping completed by Feb’11 and lately updated shows that 593 goths in the periphery of Karachi have become ’abadis’ i.e regular urban settlements mostly housing the poor. More goths are being added to the list. Around Feb’11 the Sindh govt. handed over some land of Gadap town, housing many goths , to the Local Govt.s Development Authority the LDA. Houses were issued notices by the LDA to obtain NOC’s on payment. Several community groups contacted the LDA for the purpose, however due to the excessive bribe demanded by the LDA officials, the process has been delayed.
Program:
Peoples efforts to safeguard their settlements, are being supported with 1) Advocacy for facilitating land security (NOC/notification) and eventually the land title: Info on their status, acquiring related govt. documents/maps, mobilization, regular contacts, meetings with govt. officials (Board of Revenue- BOR and Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority - SKAA) and with the related political party members and presentations as needed to Minister’s, their teams and informing media reports. 2) Bringing together the community activists as the Secure Housing Support Group to strengthen their work and advocacy. For 1 & 2 all settlements/goths in Karachi are being supported. 3) Mapping 4) Infrastructure (sewerage/drainage) development and improvements. For 3 and 4 initially settlements in the nearby town of Gadap UC-4,5 & 8 were being focused. Due to increasing requests, many more Goths in Kaemari, Bin Qasim, Malir, and Gulshan towns are also being supported. Planning, onsite guidance/supervision and advocacy continues with the govt. for provision of bulk infrastructure in the 593 goths that have become ‘abadis. This is considered as one of the tools for facilitating security of land tenure. 5) Technical support for housing and the cooperative housing savings and loan program 6) Research on how goths have become abadis started with research on Zobu goth in Gadap town, has now expanded to cover all of Karachi. This is mainly due to the many contacts all over the city, thru partner CBOs/community activists (some of whom have worked on the sanitation program in their settlements and are involved in housing the poor).
Details:
Wide ranging advocacy (including signature campaign and meetings with Ministers, political/community activists, govt. officials and media) for extending the cut off date for provision of land tenure in Sindh was successful. Details were earlier reported, effort is ongoing for implementation of the govt. orders (passed by the provincial assembly) that extends the cut off date from March 1985 to June 1997. Goth activists are being mobilized to submit requests to SKAA (the related govt. agency) for notification. Meanwhile as needed contacts with the related Minister, politicians, govt. officials and joint advocacy (with the goth activists) continues for the same.
This period (July-Sept'11) meetings were held with the new DG SKAA and the team, there is coordination and exchange of maps and information to speed up the process of tenure security in the goths. Many goths in the peripheral towns that have become abadis are being transferred by BOR to SKAA. Effort is underway so that the 593 goths in the urbanized periphery of the city come under the jurisdiction of SKAA. Once the goths are notified and are on SKAAs master list (with land tenure being provided later) there is security against eviction.
Related govt. documents including SKAA’s master list, list of goths of various govt. deptts. and the maps (also of the govt’s. Census Organization) have been acquired. A master list of 2,173 goths was earlier finalized, by checking various govt./other lists and onsite. The master map with location of the goths is being prepared. In the 1 st phase verification of 593 goths was completed, updated this period, together with the digitized location map. This is the evidence being used to advocate policy change and action on land tenure. Meanwhile more goths (that have become abadis) are being added to the list.
Meanwhile activists in goths are lobbying to acquire land tenure, as the case of UC-4,5,6 & 8 Gadap and Gulshan towns explained below. Land tenure process within SKAA (i.e notification) for 52 goths, mostly in UC-4,5,6&8 Gadap and in Gulshan towns, is underway, due to the efforts of community activists – some (i.e 33 goths) supported by OPP-RTI. This period elders and activists of more goths located mostly in Gadap town have come in contact. Mobilization for land tenure, including preparation of maps, in total 82 goths is in progress, of total 54 maps were completed of others it is under process.
Many CBO’s and community activists related to poor people’s housing and those that organize and have succeeded in resisting evictions, of many settlements and goths are in regular contact. Eleven such groups share their work and the developments. Goth elder’s and activists of Zobu goth/Khair Muhammad and now Ghazi, Noor Muhammad and 29 more Goths in UC-8 Gadap town (following the example of activists of UC-4&5 Gadap town, reported earlier) are spearheading the process of tenure security also infrastructure development. Maps prepared by OPP-RTI and facilitation in link up with SKAA officials, has strengthened the efforts of the activists. This period the activists have also been in negotiation with the LDA for the NOC. Acceptance of the OPP-RTI maps by SKAA is assisting the process of “notification”of goths - an essential step for resisting evictions.
Mapping and Infrastructure Development now also the Upgrading of Schools and support for Health services: So far goth elders and activists of Scheme-33 Gulshan, Bin Qasim, Malir, Gadap, Baldia and Kemari have identified the location of many goths on google satellite images. In addition the Census of Pakistan maps (with dehs – the revenue boundaries and location of goths) earlier acquired has speeded up the process of identification of goths on satellite images. On request the Provincial Population Census Organization is also being supported with the related maps.
Requested by goth elders/community activists detail on site mapping of goths is in progress. Total 156 goths have been mapped of 132 documentation of infrastructure is complete. This period mapping of 4 goths and documentation of infrastructure of 3 goths was completed. Of more, surveys are in progress. Goth elders, who earlier provided the list of goths and helped to identify their location on satellite images, continue to facilitate the work.
Report on the development of sewerage/drainage infrastructure; government's positive response to the OPP-RTI plans/designs for bulk infrastructure (external development) and peoples self help internal development have speeded up the expansion of work in the goths. In 133 goths work on sewage/drainage disposal is in various stages of implementation/design. Meanwhile master plan in phases (project wise) for the bulk infrastructure of 593 urbanized goths is in progress.
Upgrading of people's Schools: Survey of 123 goths shows that, 43 schools are functioning, set up by the community. OPP-RTI’s education program has extended support to 20 schools, for more work is in progress.
Support for Health Services: OPP-KHASDA managing the health program, has this period initiated support in five goths in UC-8 Gadap. Mothers meeting for education on preventive health, family planning services and training of mid wives has been initiated. OPP-RTI, Goth elders and activists are facilitating the effort.
Technical support for housing and the Cooperative Housing Saving and Loan Program: As a first step focus is Zobu and Khairabad/ Khair Md. goths, located in the periphery of Orangi (but within the boundary of Gadap town). Here about 400 houses/b’walls were demolished (some 3-4 times, beginning June 2007). People resisted, organized and after a struggle of more then a year got back their land. In Sept’09 again there was demolition in a portion along the main road. Further demolition was stopped due to timely mobilization of supportive high level political activists and govt. officials. By March’10 with the community activists negotiations with the demolishing party (comprising of town officials), an agreement was reached, that houses where people are residing will not be touched. People were mobilized to speed up the reconstruction of houses, more people are now settling in.
Technical guidance for house construction and documentation of the housing developments in Zobu, Khairabad now also nearby settlements is ongoing. Two youths of the goth continue to be trained on house plans, construction techniques and extension of advise to the community. The youths have evolved into a technical support unit ‘the Tameer Technical Center’ (TTC) with an office in the goth. The focus of technical guidance, as a 1 st step, is proper ventilation and foundation design. Houses have begun accepting the advice for ventilation.
Cooperative Housing Saving and Loan: By Nov’10 observing the need, loans of Rs. 25,000/house for the construction of a room was initiated. 24 houses (group one) have been provided the loans (12 this period , for many more houses requests are being processed. A second group of houses (upto 25 per group) to be supported with the Cooperative Housing Saving and loan program are coming together as a saving group. A third group - a women’s saving group in Moach goth has requested support for housing loans, lately loan for the 1 st house has been provided. A fourth group of women in Ghaziabad have started savings needing support for housing loans, lately loan for the 1 st house is being processed.
For strengthening the process of loans and cooperative action savings is considered as an important tool so is linked to the Coop Housing Saving and Loan program. Groups needing housing support are mobilized for saving, the saving group is then responsible for selection and recovery ,guided by OPP-RTI and the active members of group one (Zobu Goth).
This year there is the potential for housing loan support to 4 groups, about 40 to 50 houses or more, while more members needing support can join the existing or form new saving groups. We are slowly expanding so as to build our capacity and that of the group. In one group for management purposes we envisage the members to go up to 25 houses.
Research report titled “Goths become Abadis – needing Urban development” is being compiled. There is extensive unofficial land subdivision and housing all over the periphery of Karachi. More then 593 goths (as per the OPP-RTI’s latest survey) have become abadis i.e. urban settlements spanning over more the 30,000 acres. More then 100,000 plots (over approx. 3,000 acres) are being made available annually generating approximately Rs. 25 billion. About 35% of the plots are occupied. 2006 onwards, the subdivision of land has speeded up. Middle class too are accessing this land. Govt. officials, members of all the political parties and police are partners in the process.
