All existing industrial units exempted from area notified for RUDA.

LAHORE -- On the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) has exempted all the existing industrial units from the area notified for Ravi Urban Development Project.

These industries will now continue to function at their present places as usual and will not be relocated for this project. The residential localities which did not fall in the course of river will also not be acquired. Spokesman for Ravi Urban Development Authority, SM Imran and Senior Member Board of Revenue, Punjab, Babar Hayat Tarar disclosed this during a meeting with the local industrialists at Mehmood Booti on Saturday. The two office-bearers had called on the industrialists on the direction of the Prime Minister.

Local industrialists have welcomed Prime Minister's pro-people decision and expressed complete satisfaction over the guarantee given to them. SM Imran briefed the industry owners about the details of the project and answered their questions in this connection. He told that Prime Minister has strictly directed for dislocating only unavoidable number of people. Therefore, settlements on 2,500 acres of land will not be acquired for the project, he added.

He told that a large number of settlements have sprung up in the flood prone area of the Ravi River during the past few decades. These settlements were in grave danger due to the release of flood water by India at any time...