CM for effective check on illegal high-rises

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
By By Our Correspondent
LAHORE

PUNJAB Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has directed that a comprehensive and effective system should be evolved to check construction of illegal multi-storey buildings in the province.

He was chairing a meeting which reviewed the pace of operation against illegally-constructed multi-storey plazas in the province at Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Monday. Lahore commissioner, district coordination officer and Lahore Development Authority director general were also present.

The CM directed that it should be ensured no plaza could be constructed in future without proper construction plan and observance of relevant bye-laws. He said no one was above the law and action should be taken against illegal plazas without caring for any pressure or influence.

He said illegal multi-storey buildings in different cities of the province were result of the alliance between their owners and officials of the departments concerned. He said construction of plazas in violation of rules and regulations was a crime and in addition to taking action against such elements, an effective strategy should also be adopted so that no such monstrous structures could be erected in future. He said the companies having necessary expertise should be engaged in the demolition of multi-storey buildings and it should be ensured that no human life was endangered in this process. He also ordered formation of a committee for such plazas and buildings where minor violations had been committed and poor people were earning their livelihood from there. He said a separate, practicable and uniform policy should be evolved for action against such structures. He expressed his satisfaction over the operation by the LDA against multi-storey buildings and directed the City District Government to follow it. He said he would preside over a meeting on weekly basis for reviewing action against multi-storey buildings and the LDA and the City District Government should submit a timeframe for action in the next meeting after categorisation of the plazas which were to be completely or partially demolished in the provincial metropolis.

Earlier, the commissioner, DCO and LDA DG briefed the CM on action against illegal multi-storey buildings. The LDA DG said the action was being taken expeditiously and services of 20 firms having necessary skill had been acquired for this purpose. He also told the meeting about the plazas which were to be completely or partially demolished. The DCO said the City District Government had set up a separate wing for action against illegal constructions. The LDA DG and DCO also said that measures were also been taken to purge the department of corrupt and inefficient elements.

CM REVIEWS LAND RECORD COMPUTERIZATION: Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting at Chief Minister’s Secretariat to review the pace of implementation of land record computerization management information system project and a number of important decisions were taken in this regard. The meeting decided this programme would be started as a pilot project in Lahore and Lodharan districts. A steering committee was also constituted for implementation, monitoring and dealing with technical and legal affairs regarding the project. The meeting also decided to constitute three sub-committees for software, monitoring and implementation.

The chief minister said the project was of vital importance for saving general public and farmers from Patwaris, Gardawars and other officials of Revenue Department as well as for checking forgery of property deeds.

SHAHBAZ FOR RELIGIOUS HARMONY: Legislators from various districts called on the CM at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday.

Talking to the parliamentarians, the CM said elected representatives should play an active role in promotion of religious harmony and utilise all their energies for foiling the nefarious designs of anti-Pakistan elements.