LDA takes control of illegal housing schemes

[Salman]

LAHORE – The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has taken over control of about a dozen of illegal declared and some bogus housing colonies in order to complete the development works and process of allotments to the buyers, sources informed TheNation on Thursday.

The action was being taken by the authority on the complaints of the buyers regarding allotment of plots in a number of such bogus housing colonies which were plundering the citizens on the name of allotment of residential plots in such illegal colonies after giving shape to some pieces of lands like colonies and by erecting site offices on them, they said adding that the objective of taking over the control is to redress the complaints of the citizens and to compensate them by allotting plots.

The sources further said that developers or owners of some of these illegal declared housing colonies also were continuing selling plots on installments in such colonies telling the buyers that their colonies were approved by the TMAs, City District Government or Lahore Development Authority which compelled the authorities to initiate action against them.

Later, owners of these colonies were being exposed by the authorities concerned when the departments concerned published public notices through media for awareness of the general public declaring about 99 housing colonies illegal. The authorities declared the names of such illegal housing colonies so that citizens could save their money.

Taking further action against them, the authorities of CDGL and LDA also served legal notices to the owners of these housing colonies warning them to get approval of the authorities concerned otherwise the authorities have legal right to take over illegal colonies and to redress the public complaints regarding allotments of plots for which they paid millions of rupees, they added.

They said that main objective to declare such housing colonies/schemes was to beware and inform the general public, prospective buyers and the investors advising in their own interest, to refrain from purchasing plots in these schemes and to verify the legal status of these schemes from LDA before making any investment or transaction.

In fact, these colonies were declared illegal because such 99 illegal housing schemes neither apply for getting any legal status nor submitted any scheme plan of their colonies under which they are bound to prove their ownership/title by enclosing transfer letter of the land acquired by the owners on their name, issued by Revenue Department, they said adding that the scheme plan meant measurement of land, purchased for development of any housing scheme, details of facilities provided by the applicants/owners to the authorities concerned for getting legal status for their housing colonies under concerned laws including parks, schools, health centers, community centers, markets and other facilities.

“Earlier, the legal action was being initiated against such schemes, which were challaned by the magistrates under section 33 and 38 of LDA Act 1975 and CDGL Bylaws under which the magistrates could penalise the developers or owners of any illegally developed housing colony or scheme with one month imprisonment and at least Rs 15,000 fine every month till the developers fulfill all the legal requirements.” they added.

The sources said the LDA and the CDGL had also warned the owners or developers of these illegal housing schemes to stop sale of plots, execution of development works and other issues relating to the sale of plots in these schemes.

The CDGL and the LDA earlier had declared about 99 private housing schemes as illegal including 49 situated in the LDA controlled areas and 50 situated in the precincts of different city towns/TMA.

Meanwhile, District Coordination Officer Noor-ul-Amin Mengal visited Shalamar Town to review the work of officials of anti-polio drive.

Assistant Commissioner Shalimar Shahid Kalyani, representative of UNICEF and officials of health department were also along with him. The DCO visited bazaars of Shalamar town and asked about the performance of workers of anti-polio drive and checked the marks on thumbs of children. The DCO also went door to door to monitor the anti-polio drive.