| LAHORE: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has asked the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to provide it with the land acquisition-related records of the city’s major housing schemes, including five posh localities, between 2018 and 2023. The ACE will check whether or not the share of the landowners was given to them in the form of exemption (offering developed plots against the entire land surrendered to the government), allotment of plots to the public at large, and other issues, Dawn learned on Sunday.
According to a letter by the Lahore ACE, the LDA has been asked to provide the record in respect of the exemption (allotment of developed plots through surrendering the land) related to Allama Iqbal Town, Gulberg, Johar Town, Sabzazar, Garden Town, Upper Mall, Tajpura, and Gujjarpura.
According to an LDA officer, the ACE may look into allotment of plots, compensation, and allotment through the exchange of plots, development, mortgaged plots, original maps, and others (if needed).
“The issues in Allama Iqbal Town, Gulberg, Garden Town, and Upper Mall are minor. But the problem exists mostly in Johar town, Sabzazar, Tajpura and Gujjarpura,” the source claimed.
“In Sabzazar, the major issues include the exemption of plots, allotment and exchange of plots. Through the exchange of plots (allocating plots at better locations than the odd ones), many people were obliged,” the official explained.
He said that under the law, a 10-marla plot must be replaced (under the exchange category) with a 10-marla plot. But in many cases, the officials replaced 10 marla plots with two plots each of five marlas on prime locations.
Following various internal reports related to duplicate files and forged documents of various plots in Johar Town allegedly prepared by the private people in connivance with the officials concerned, the LDA last month constituted a five-member fact-finding committee to launch a thorough probe into such issues and complete the inquiry in 60 days.
An initial inquiry has also unearthed bogus files for 100 residential plots in Johar Town, as there is no record of them available with the LDA that can prove the authenticity of such cases. The case is also set to be sent to a fact-finding committee for further probe in this regard.
CLEANLINESS: The Lahore Waste Management Company will maintain the best cleanliness arrangements during the Jashan-i-Baharan festival declaring National Hockey Stadium, Jillani Park, and Greater Iqbal Park zero waste zones. The cleanliness plan consists of pre-, during-, and after-cleanliness arrangements at 10 different venues in three shifts where the events will take place. According to the plan, all access routes to the venues will be washed, swept and limed.
“Providing a clean and litter-free environment to the citizens of Lahore is our top priority, and the department has made special cleanliness arrangements for the Jashan-i-Baharan festival,” said LWMC Chief Executive Officer Babar Sahib Din while launching the zero-waste campaign here on Sunday.
According to the plan, he said, 115 workers and more than 20 vehicles have been dedicated to the special cleaning operation. To maintain the cleanliness at the venues citizens will be charged Rs100 for littering. Special cleaning and washing of all the routes associated with the festival events will be done, followed by the installation of three-colour bins at the festival events for proper waste disposal.
“For the convenience of citizens, service delivery and cleanliness awareness camps will also be set up at Jillani Park, National Hockey Stadium, and Greater Iqbal Park,” he said, adding that special cleaning operations will continue from March 5 to 12. “Citizens are requested to cooperate with the LWMC staff and avoid littering. In case of any waste-related complaint, citizens can always dial the LWMC helpline or can use social media,” he said.
PR POLICE: Pakistan Railways Police on Sunday arrested an accused involved in looting the passengers on the Millat Express train during the journey by giving them drinks and making them unconscious, according to a spokesman.
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2023 |
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