PHOTO: EXPRESS
Presiding over a meeting on the implementation of the Local Government Act 2019 and preparation of revised master plan for the provincial capital, Punjab Local Government and Community Development (LGCD) Department Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi underlined the need for an audit of all approved and unapproved housing societies. He said the move would curb illegal development and protect citizens’ rights.
“The department has received thousands of complaints against illegal housing societies,” he said. The government has the complete resolve to address this issue, he added. The government will not allow illegal construction and encroachment and conduct an audit of all approved and unapproved housing projects. All housing societies have to bring their sale/purchase and building rules as per the law, he warned.
He highlighted that the government has also decided to make commercialisation easy, but under provisions of the law. All housing societies will be bound to display rules in their offices and indicate illegal construction before it actually happens.
Speaking about construction around 250 illegal commercial plazas, Qazi said strict action will be taken against violators of building plan and regulations. He highlighted that all development agencies will work under corporations following implementation of the Punjab Local Government Act 2019. They will make master plans for both urban and rural areas. Benefits of the new local government act will be visible in the upcoming year, he vowed.
After taking reins of Punjab, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has adopted a strict policy against illegal housing societies, land grabbing and encroachments. In ongoing crackdown against illegal constructions, encroachment and illegal occupation of state land, billions of rupees worth properties have been retrieved from illegal occupants and thousands of illegal structures have been demolished across Punjab, especially in the provincial capital.
On the directions of the government, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) initiated action against encroachment and illegal construction in Johar Town and demolished a several years’ old furniture market on PIA Road. During the anti-encroachment drive, LDA officials demolished over 25 showrooms and 20 commercial plots belonging to land grabbers in the market located at PIA Road in Johar Town.
The authority retrieved illegally possessed land worth Rs5 billion, including around 80 kanals taken over by Mansha Bomb, in Johar Town. This land includes 50 kanals belonging to the LDA and 30 kanals was private property. The 30 kanals included around 10 in Saman Zar Colony and the land belonged to a man who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Most of the people, who were using the plots commercially, had established furniture showrooms and some had set up motor workshops and other businesses.
However, the trading community expressed strong reservations over the city developer’s anti-encroachment campaign because it has badly hurt their businesses. As a result of it, hundreds of businesses, established in illegal buildings, have been closed down and thousands of people have been left jobless.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a trader Zafar Bhatti said that the government should take action against illegal structures and buildings when construction is underway. “Unfortunately, it is a common practice government agencies keep their eyes close for obvious reasons when illegal buildings are being constructed and then launch action once businesses are established,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2019.
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