Monkey business: For high and mighty, civic agency breaks own rules

CDA allowed multiple subdivisions of farm belonging to PM’s assistant;official who pointed out discrepancies punished.

ISLAMABAD:

For the better part of the last decade, efforts from the Supreme Court to stop the misuse of agricultural farms in the capital have been in vain. Meanwhile, the government body responsible for addressing these violations continues to add to an already complex situation by taking inspiration from the three wise monkeys.

See no evil

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation Shujaat Azeem has managed to get multiple subdivisions of his 10-acre agro farm plot approved by the Capital development Authority (CDA), despite the fact that subdivisions of such farms is against the CDA’s own rules.

The approval was allegedly gotten thanks to ‘help’ provided by a number of CDA officials including some board members.

Some of the officials involved confided that they were “unable to put up with the political pressure”.

Oddly enough, the only CDA official affected by the situation was a junior officer on deputation who identified multiple rule violations in the case by writing several dissenting notes on the file. He was sent back to the Establishment Division.

Documents obtained by the Express Tribune show how senior CDA officers disposed of the case in favour of applicant in matter of days. The plot in question is located in the Poultry and Vegetable Scheme II, Park Road and was originally 10.37 acres.

First, it was subdivided into two plots measuring five acres and 5.37 acres respectively. The five acre plot was then further subdivided into two plots, each measuring 2.5 acres.

The case for multiple subdivisions was processed citing a CDA board decision from July 20, 2010. The decision provides that cases of subdivision of residential plots can be finalised by the CDA board member for planning and design.

The provision only applies to residential plots, but the planning member still applied it to the agro farm, claiming to have misinterpreted the board decision.

Interestingly, the original plot is among 82 agro farms that remain undeveloped. During SC proceedings into the misuse of agro farms, the court had directed the CDA to cancel the lease agreements for plots which lessees had failed to develop. But, instead of cancelling the lease agreement, the CDA chose to otherwise.

Hear no evil

Among other objections, the now-former deputationist, who is still awaiting posting, noted on the file that the competent forum for approval of multiple subdivisions of agro farm plot is the full CDA board, not just a single board member. In addition, he also wrote that the case was processed despite the fact the lease agreement for the plot, which was renewed in 2012, has still not been registered with the sub-registrar.

A finance wing official also played his due role in the case when he stated the CDA would charge Rs 75 per square yard for subdivision. “The said rate is for subdivision of residential and agro farms plots, not for multiple subdivisions of agro plots,” the official noted, but it went unheard.

A senior Planning Wing official reiterated that CDA rules provide for the subdivision of agro farm plots in some cases, but not further subdivision of already-subdivided plots.

Speak no evil

Meanwhile, CDA Planning Member Waseem Ahmad Khan said the process was done in accordance with the existing laws and precedents. He said the CDA rules provide for multiple sub divisions of agro farms plots.

“The Planning member is the competent authority to dispose of such cases, not the CDA board,” Khan said, adding that sometimes people try to exploit the situation by writing unwarranted objections on files. When asked if the plot was still undeveloped, Khan said it is the responsibility of the estate wing to act against the owners of undeveloped plots.

To a question, he said, he was unaware why the deputationist was repatriated to his parent department.

Shujaat Azeem told The Express Tribune that he did not ask the CDA authorities to commit any violation of rules. When informed of the violations committed in the case, he said, “Rules are meant to apply equally on everybody irrespective of status”, without going into specific details.

He said if the CDA had any objection, they could have refused to process the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2014.