Public safety: Committee formed to devise plan for rehab of dilapidated buildings

LAHORE:

Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal on Tuesday formed a committee to devise a strategy for rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings in the city.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan, chairman-elect from Union Council No107, was put in charge of the committee. Other members included Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahad Khan Cheema, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) Director General Kamran Lashari and the housing secretary.

The committee was asked to suggest a course of action for such buildings, including whether they should be repaired or constructed afresh. The committee would also be responsible for determining the government’s share in the cost of repairs or reconstruction of these buildings.

Earlier, the Lahore division commissioner was directed to conduct a survey of buildings damaged by the October 26 earthquake.

Speaking at the meeting, the chief secretary said protection of life and property of the people was a responsibility of the government. He said he was grieved at the loss of lives in the factory collapse incident at the Sundar Industrial Estate. Expeditious measures would be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future.

He said a province-wide survey had already been conducted ahead of this year’s monsoon season to identify buildings unfit for use. The chief secretary also directed the officials concerned to accelerate repair and reconstruction work at dilapidated public school buildings in the province.

The meeting was also attended by the provincial disaster management authority director general, the Multan DCO and the secretaries of the Education, the Communication and Works and the Housing Departments.

Separately, the chief secretary chaired a meeting to review the performance of the Land Record Management and Information System. Speaking at the occasion, he said computerised record management was proving efficient compared to the manual system.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2015.