FDA retrieves amenity plots sold by developers

28 kanals of land cleared during crackdown

FAISALABAD: The Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) has retrieved 28 kanals of land allocated for public utility buildings from eight developers of private housing schemes.

While seeking approval of layout plans, the developers had pledged 20 to 25 per cent of total land of the housing schemes for water supply, waste management, public parks, graveyards, dispensaries and educational institutions. The FDA had declared the plots as public utility sites.

The owners of the housing colonies were not allowed to carry out construction on this land but they sold the amenity plots to citizens allegedly in connivance with officials of regulatory bodies like the FDA and the revenue department.

The FDA inspection team had unearthed violations of the Punjab Development of Cities Act of 1978 by the private colonies during scrutiny of approved maps, preliminary planning permission and layout plans and issued urgent instructions to clamp down on unscrupulous developers.

FDA spokesperson Muhammad Subhan Ali said action would be taken against officials found involved in illegal occupation of the land and cases would be registered against developers who had encroached the amenity and sold it illegally.

A crackdown against the illegal practice was initiated about one and half months ago and FDA teams had earmarked public service plots he said, adding that government departments would be invited soon to develop required facilities for the people on the cleared land.

The spokesperson said the use of land earmarked for public utility for residential purpose was a serious crime and the perpetrators would be dealt with sternly.

The FDA town planning directorate had reportedly written several letters to revenue authorities in the past to stop the patwaries from issuing ownership deeds in such cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2020.