CDA to acquire land for water supply project

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

ISLAMABAD - The inability of Capital Development Authority (CDA) to take possession of the land in sector D/12 and E/12, which it had acquired decades ago, not only caused problems to the residents but also hampered the work on some public-friendly projects including Shah Allah Ditta water supply project. Amid such a situation, the authority has finally decided to take possession of land in two sectors for completing the project through which the CDA will supply water to 13 sectors in the capital city.
A CDA official privy to the development told Pakistan Today that CDA had also decided to complete the Shah Allah Ditta water supply project within two months. He added that during recent board meeting, city bosses had also decided to allot plots to the affectees of sectors D/12 and E/12 in return of their land which the CDA had acquired decades ago as the affectees did not allow the CDA to lay pipelines of the said water supply project in the service road passing through these sectors until the allotment of plots to them.
The source said the civic agency had laid down 31 kilometer pipelines under the project but could not lay the supply lines in sector D/12 and E/12 as the authority has yet to take possession of land in the said sectors. The official told that the award of sector D/12 was announced in 2010 and according to the award list some 321 affectees were to be allotted plots in exchange of their houses, adding after getting the summary approved from board, the authority would allot plots to the affectees as it was the only way to take possession of the land at once. “The CDA will take possession of the land and the work on the water supply project is likely to be completed within two months period,” said the official.
“After all the said process, CDA has now become able to lay the water pipelines of Shah Allah Ditta Water Supply project also in sector D/12 and E/12,” said the source. He said the land of sector E/12 was acquired about 20 years ago but the then CDA bosses did not take possession of the land and now the residents of said sector were also demanding the plots from CDA in exchange of the newly built houses. The CDA has held negotiations with the affectees as it could not pay additional benefits to them, the source added.
Under the said project, the water will be supplied to 13 sectors of the city including sectors D/12, D/13, E/12, E/13, F/11, G/11, G/13, G/14, H/12, H/13, I/14, I/15 and I/16. Senate standing committee during the meeting with CDA officials several days ago also expressed concerns on delay in completion of Shah Allah Ditta water supply project and asked the authority to complete it on priority basis for the facilitation of residents. The feasibility report and detailed design and geotechnical investigation of 25-kilometre-long conduction main from Shah Allah Ditta reservoir, which is to get its share of treated water from Khanpur Dam under the Metropolitan Water Supply Project via Sangjani, was carried out some 12 years back. The initial estimated cost of the project was Rs 640 million which later increased to Rs 670.214 million and then to Rs1 billion. The expected time for the completion of the project was September 30, 2010.
WWF holds travelLing
nature carnival: With an objective to make the young generation of the country an environmentally sensitive generation and a guardian of natural resources, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in collaboration with Indus Motor Travelling (IMT) organised a traveling nature carnival here on Sunday at Fatima Jinnah Park. A large number of students and parents participated in the WWF-Indus Motors Traveling Nature Carrnival. IMC Chief Executive Officer Pervez Ghias said that IMC and WWF were committed to make the youth of the country aware of the fact that safeguarding the rapidly-polluting environment of the country was very important for the future generations.
He said the IMC was collaborating with WWF for the cause of conserving the deteriorating environment in the country, and this collaboration would be a part of both parties mandates and of mutual benefit to their environmental endeavors.
Speaking on the occasion, WWF-Pakistan Director General Ali Hasan Habib said for last one decade his organisation had attracted thousands of visitors and played a vital role in ensuring the future sustainability of environmental resources of Pakistan by bringing a positive change in attitude of society at large and helped to promote a more responsible and environmental conscious generation.
Minister to Japanese Embassy Akira Kono also appreciated the event and stressed upon the need to create more awareness for preserving nature.