SC orders auction of plots to rasie funds for development of colony

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Advises Punjab housing secretary to probe into bogus housing societies

LAHORE: A full bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general to auction 81 plots of former MPA Mian Shahbaz, and that the income generated should be spent on development projects in a housing society launched by the MPA 20 years ago.

Earlier, the director general informed the court that Rs 100 million were required to complete the development work in the society. The bench, while disposing of the matter, ordered the LDA to spend the auction money to complete development in the scheme.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, also directed the LDA to conduct a survey and ensure provision of roads and other civic facilities in private housing societies. The bench further directed the LDA to ensure provision of basic facilities before giving approval to any new housing society.

The bench also directed the Punjab housing secretary to probe into bogus housing societies, so that no one should defraud innocent people. The chief justice remarked that the court knew what was happening under the cloak of such schemes, adding that now law would rule and the courts know how to set things in order.

Justice Ramday observed that the LDA should improve its working as it was approving the schemes, which did not even have their land.

The bench was hearing a human rights case moved by one Azeemullah against Venice Housing Society where people had been facing multiple problems for 20 years to due to incomplete infrastructure in the scheme. Azeem alleged that Shahbaz developed scheme, which did not have roads, electricity, water and other facilities.