GUJRAT: The local administration is facing a tough challenge for selection of the site for the establishment of the phase-II of the Gujrat Industrial Estate.

Official sources said the two recently proposed sites near Mehsam and Saidhari villages could not be selected due to technical reasons as the underground water table at boththese sites near GujratKashmir Road was found much higher to be selected for an industrial purpose.

They said a storm water channel known as Bhimbher Nullah located in that area might have been the cause of the higher underground water table. Moreover, the farmers of these villages have also opposed the move by staging protest demonstrations at the district administration complex recently.

On the other hand, GujratChamber of Commerce and Industry (GtCCI) has expressed its grave concern at the delay in the establishment of phase-II of the industrial estate area and urged the authorities to take steps in this regard.

The GtCCI executive body discussed the issue of industrial estate where the participants emphasized on the provision of another industrial estate in the city, known as an industrial and export city.

Ahmed Hassan Mattu,an executive member, said the first-ever industrial estate area was established in the city back in 1960 whereas the local business fraternity had been demanding the phase-II of the area since 1992 but to no avail so far.

Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Safdar Virk told Dawn that the land revenue department had been trying its best to select the site for the establishment of phase-II of the industrial estate.The PTI-led Punjab government had earlier provided Rs1.5bn fund on the recommendation of the then minister Chaudhry Moonis Elahi for the establishment of a new industrial area after which a huge chunk of land was acquired near Saroki village by the land revenue department in 2021-22. However, the caretaker Punjab government denotified the acquisition of that piece of land in 2023 and returned it to the previous owners.