FDA retrieves land in housing colonies

165 kanals of land earmarked for amenity plots cleared

FAISALABAD:

The Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) has retrieved 165-kanal land from 55 private housing colonies during an operation against land grabbers and imposed Rs260 million worth of fees and fines.

In a survey of illegally occupied amenity plots, the FDA town planning directorate found graveyard, dispensary, school, mosque, park and pavement spaces earmarked by the authority during the approval of layout plans of the colonies had been was converted into residential areas by the owners in connivance with the field staff. However, a private developer, requesting anonymity, alleged that the ongoing operation was eyewash. “It has become a source of minting money from encroachers,” he claimed.

“Where was the management of the authority when these colonies were being constructed? Why wasn’t any punitive action taken against the land grabbers at that time?” he questioned.

Meanwhile, the FDA booked 11 shopkeepers over encroachment in Gulfishan Colony.

An FDA spokesman said that Director General Muhammad Sohail Khwaja had issued directives for launching a campaign against land mafia in the city. Following the order, an enforcement team checked the main bazaar of Gulfishan Colony and charged 11 shopkeepers with encroaching state land.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2020.