Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Karachi: Bitter residents lament PHA’s indifference
07-25-2008, 07:02 AM
Post: #1
Karachi: Bitter residents lament PHA’s indifference
By M Farhan Zaheer
KARACHI: Entering the main gate of the Pakistan Housing Authority’s (PHA) apartments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, wide roads, well-finished parking lots and rows of concrete blocks and gardens come into view. It is a pleasant site until undeveloped parks and piles of garbage also come into view.

The apartments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar are one of three PHA projects in Karachi. They have not yet been leased, but they do have residents who pay maintenance charges. Every month, they pay Rs800 for security guards, a supervisor, electricians, plumbers, sweepers, maintenance of open areas and electric bill of street lights and water pumps.

The PHA Owners’ Association, the elected body of residents in the apartments, claims that the residents should know the duties of the newly-appointed regional manager, or whether he receives portion of the monthly maintenance charges. The Association has demanded that the PHA consult it in all matters of finance and general administration.

The residents’ list of grievances does not end here. In addition to the undeveloped parks and open piles of garbage, they have complained to the authorities concerned about the seepage in the apartments, but to no avail. “The PHA has not accepted any of our complaints,” lamented one resident.

The residents add that there are “a number of anti-social and immoral activities” in full swing within the grounds, although the PHA has denied it. “No such thing is going on to my knowledge,” maintained Captain ® Akram, Regional Manager of PHA in Karachi.

Gulistan-e-Jauhar is not the only place containing dissatisfied PHA residents. Complaints have also been flowing from Landhi PBC, where the PHA has another apartment project.

The residents here say they are not getting basic facilities and claim the PHA is negligent and indifferent to their problems.

ìWe are still not getting any gas, despite the fact that all dues to the PHA have been cleared,” fumed one particular resident on condition of anonymity. He added that even the residents, who were not being supplied with gas, had to pay their monthly fee of Rs800.



There are 544 flats in total in Gulistan-e-Jauhar scheme, out of which half of the flats are occupied. Few months back, PHA authorities let a multinational use some unoccupied flats on rent without the consent of its allottee(s) for a couple of weeks. The company used the flats for a big advertising campaign, painted the blocks and damaged the door locks, but most importantly defaced the original and brand new colour of the apartment block it used, and left a visible difference in contrast to other blocks of the project.

The residents lamented that the PHA had made money by a big contract with the multinational at the cost of their property and in the end did not compensate for the damages that the company caused to the property of residents. A resident of the scheme said that the PHA claims that allottees do not pay monthly dues which is the why the authority fails to provide required facilities to the residents, but to provide allottees’ flats on rent without informing them despite they pay regular dues is not fair on PHA’s part.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=126031
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  Karachi : Double taxation: Hearing of DHA residents’ challenge put off to Dec 22 Salman 0 3,911 12-15-2011 11:43 AM
Last Post: Salman
  IMF conditions ‘to make budget a bitter pill for the masses’ Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,459 05-28-2010 10:19 AM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Karachi: Small dams project to bring prosperity for Gadap residents: TMO Naveed Yaseen 0 5,274 10-16-2009 07:42 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: Water from DHA Cogen Plant unfit for consumption, claim residents Naveed Yaseen 0 4,147 10-14-2009 08:44 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA, Clifton admins review complaints of residents Naveed Yaseen 0 3,479 10-09-2009 05:09 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA’s new drainage system leaves many residents in the lurch Naveed Yaseen 0 4,228 09-02-2009 05:52 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA residents oppose move to cede control of area mosques Naveed Yaseen 0 3,366 08-26-2009 09:29 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Bitter Sugar & Manzoor Wattoo... LRE 0 2,982 08-23-2009 07:15 AM
Last Post: LRE
  Karachi: City Council resolution demands lease rights for cattle colony residents Naveed Yaseen 0 4,159 08-04-2009 04:51 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA residents voice concern over LahoreEstate 0 3,140 06-28-2009 05:59 AM
Last Post: LahoreEstate
  Karachi: Defence residents should refuse to pay refurbishment charges: DSRA Naveed Yaseen 0 2,987 06-16-2009 06:01 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA seeks residents’ cooperation Naveed Yaseen 0 2,903 06-13-2009 06:42 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Indifference and corruption fast decaying Gwadar Mega City Project LRE 0 2,706 05-29-2009 08:23 AM
Last Post: LRE
  Karachi: Scheme 33's Saadi Town residents lack basic facilities Naveed Yaseen 0 7,605 05-10-2009 06:16 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: DHA residents request city Nazim to increase water supply to DHA Naveed Yaseen 0 2,879 05-08-2009 06:17 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: Gulshan-e-Sikanderabad residents riot against anti-encroachment drive Naveed Yaseen 0 2,530 05-08-2009 05:48 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: Music at DHA Beach View Club torments residents Naveed Yaseen 0 3,517 05-03-2009 07:15 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Karachi: Imposition of security tax on DHA residents, traders suggested by civic body Naveed Yaseen 0 3,384 04-25-2009 05:18 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Gulistan-e-Jauhar residents suffer as encroachments go on :Karachi LahoreEstate 0 4,845 04-16-2009 08:14 AM
Last Post: LahoreEstate
  Bitter truth (by Hamid Mir) LRE 0 2,752 04-09-2009 07:03 PM
Last Post: LRE

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)