Action against agrofarms: CDA starts small, safe
Seals four farms being used as marriage halls; action against others to be taken in stages.
ISLAMABAD:
The action against owners of agrofarms violating the terms of their leases was a long time coming. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) acted against four such violators on Tuesday.
The civic body sealed four agrofarms in Orchard Scheme near Benazir Bhutto Road which were being used as marriage halls, in violation of CDA bylaws. But with about 500 of the over 600 agrofarm owners violating the terms of their agreements, according to a 2011 court briefing by former CDA chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, there is much still to be done.
The agricultural farms in Islamabad, or agrofarms, are bound by CDA regulations to grow fruits and vegetables on 80% of the land. But many of them have morphed into residential units and money-making machines for their owners.
Some of these farms are being used as marriage halls, restaurants and musical night venues, while others have been turned into bungalows and mansions. In both cases, the farm owners are in breach of CDA rules.
CDA bylaws state that farms cannot be used for any purpose other than poultry and vegetable farming and the covered area on the farms cannot be more than 20% of the land.
In case of a breach of these bylaws, the CDA can cancel the farm owners’ agreement and take possession of the building without any compensation liability.
The action on Tuesday follows multiple warnings.
On October 25, 2012, the CDA’s building control directorate had issued a notice to the owners of the farms to comply with the terms of their allotment and Islamabad Residential Sectors and Zoning Regulations 2005 within 15 days.
The CDA asked the owners to demolish excess covered area and ensure the supply of vegetables and poultry to local markets as per CDA regulations.
Noncompliance would lead to demolition or removal of nonconforming facilities, The Express Tribune had quoted CDA Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid as saying in a report published on November 5.
The four wedding halls sealed on Tuesday were farms numbered 42, 43, 44 and 44-A, said a press release issued by the CDA.
The press release stated that some of the violators went to court to get restraining orders, but the CDA pursued the cases to get the orders vacated. The operation was supervised by CDA Planning and Design Member Mustafain Kazmi.
CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said action against the four farms is only the beginning of a campaign to curb violations.
“We are identifying violations in the agricultural farms and as the surveys are completed, we will take further actions against the violators,” he said. “This is an ongoing process.”
He said the farm owners will be given notices of violations on different dates and if the violations exist after the 15-day compliance period expires, the civic agency will start action. He said the exact number of farms in violation cannot be figured out at present.
The CDA also attempted to deal with this issue in 2011 but failed, allegedly due to resistance from influential farm owners, some of whom include leading businesspersons, journalists, lawyers, military officials, and a host of current and former parliamentarians.
A senior CDA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the CDA is targeting marriage halls constructed on agrofarm plots as a first priority.
The official said the CDA does not have any plans to rezone the marriage halls and use them as a revenue generation source.
“After marriage halls, the CDA plans to go after owners who have built excess building structures on their plots,” the official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2012.
The action against owners of agrofarms violating the terms of their leases was a long time coming. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) acted against four such violators on Tuesday.
The civic body sealed four agrofarms in Orchard Scheme near Benazir Bhutto Road which were being used as marriage halls, in violation of CDA bylaws. But with about 500 of the over 600 agrofarm owners violating the terms of their agreements, according to a 2011 court briefing by former CDA chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, there is much still to be done.
The agricultural farms in Islamabad, or agrofarms, are bound by CDA regulations to grow fruits and vegetables on 80% of the land. But many of them have morphed into residential units and money-making machines for their owners.
Some of these farms are being used as marriage halls, restaurants and musical night venues, while others have been turned into bungalows and mansions. In both cases, the farm owners are in breach of CDA rules.
CDA bylaws state that farms cannot be used for any purpose other than poultry and vegetable farming and the covered area on the farms cannot be more than 20% of the land.
In case of a breach of these bylaws, the CDA can cancel the farm owners’ agreement and take possession of the building without any compensation liability.
The action on Tuesday follows multiple warnings.
On October 25, 2012, the CDA’s building control directorate had issued a notice to the owners of the farms to comply with the terms of their allotment and Islamabad Residential Sectors and Zoning Regulations 2005 within 15 days.
The CDA asked the owners to demolish excess covered area and ensure the supply of vegetables and poultry to local markets as per CDA regulations.
Noncompliance would lead to demolition or removal of nonconforming facilities, The Express Tribune had quoted CDA Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid as saying in a report published on November 5.
The four wedding halls sealed on Tuesday were farms numbered 42, 43, 44 and 44-A, said a press release issued by the CDA.
The press release stated that some of the violators went to court to get restraining orders, but the CDA pursued the cases to get the orders vacated. The operation was supervised by CDA Planning and Design Member Mustafain Kazmi.
CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said action against the four farms is only the beginning of a campaign to curb violations.
“We are identifying violations in the agricultural farms and as the surveys are completed, we will take further actions against the violators,” he said. “This is an ongoing process.”
He said the farm owners will be given notices of violations on different dates and if the violations exist after the 15-day compliance period expires, the civic agency will start action. He said the exact number of farms in violation cannot be figured out at present.
The CDA also attempted to deal with this issue in 2011 but failed, allegedly due to resistance from influential farm owners, some of whom include leading businesspersons, journalists, lawyers, military officials, and a host of current and former parliamentarians.
A senior CDA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the CDA is targeting marriage halls constructed on agrofarm plots as a first priority.
The official said the CDA does not have any plans to rezone the marriage halls and use them as a revenue generation source.
“After marriage halls, the CDA plans to go after owners who have built excess building structures on their plots,” the official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2012.