LDA tightens noose around illegal housing schemes

DG directs officials to launch a campaign against fraudulent tactics

LAHORE: In order to safeguard public interest, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has decided to enforce the strict implementation of rules pertaining to illegal housing societies.

LDA Director General Muhammad Usman Moazam has directed officials of the authority to take strict action against illegal residential schemes and launch an effective awareness campaign about their fraudulent techniques. He also instructed officials to follow up on court cases against such illegal housing schemes and take every possible step to safeguard the life savings of innocent citizens.

An official from the Metropolitan Planning Wing briefed the authority’s director general about the status of illegal housing societies in the provincial metropolis. The official also highlighted action taken against such projects. Chief Metropolitan Planner Azhar Ali, Director Metropolitan Planning Naveed Ahmad Bhatti, Muzamil Ishfaq, Ahmad Saeed Sultan, deputy directors and assistant directors attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, LDA officials took action against illegal constructions in Punjab University Housing Scheme Phase II. The LDA team demolished illegal structures constructed at the park and the graveyard and restored these sites as per the original plan.

In February, the authority had formed a committee in order to take action against the illegal construction of buildings and private housing schemes and societies to streamline operations against such projects within the authority’s jurisdiction.

The committee was also empowered to redress the complaints pending in the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Lahore Region. The committee was asked to take necessary actions against illegal, unauthorised constructions and private housing schemes as per the LDA Act and rules in association with ACE Deputy Director (Investigation) Shahrukh Khan Niazi. The committee included LDA Director (TP)-III, Director (MP)-I, Deputy Director, TP, (DTP-IV Zone), Deputy Director, MP, (DMP-III Zone), Assistant Directors, Deputy Directors and Director of the respective area; and ACE Deputy Director (Technical), Lahore Region, Assistant Director (Technical), Lahore Region, and any co-opted member.

The committee would take necessary actions against illegal and unauthorised constructions and private housing schemes falling within the authority’s jurisdiction under the LDA Act, 1975, the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations, 2007 and the LDA Private Housing Scheme Rules, 2014 respectively and other applicable law that remained in vogue from time to time.

The committee’s terms of references highlight that it is empowered to finalise the operation mechanism in consultation with the deputy director (Investigation), ACE, Lahore region and prioritise the operation on a weekly basis; verification of the status of constructions identified by the anti-corruption body and private housing schemes as per record and applicable rules; ensure issuance of notices, show cause notices and demolition operation after seeking demolition orders from the competent authority only if the construction was non-compoundable; regularise the compoundable offences after seeking orders from the competent authority; forward progress report to the director, ACE Lahore region for information regarding the demolition operation against illegal non-compoundable constructions, illegal development in private housing schemes and regularisation of compoundable offences under the applicable rules. The progress review meeting will be held in the office of the director, ACE, Lahore Region, Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2019.