LAHORE, Feb 23: The provincial cooperatives minister told the Punjab Assembly on Monday that thousands of affectees of cooperative societies had been provided relief by making payments to them while Taj Company victims could not be provided relief as it was a private company not registered under the Cooperative Act, 1925.

Responding to a question by Shaikh Tanveer, Malik Anwar said the relief could not be provided to Taj Company victims through the cooperatives department as it was not registered under the Cooperative Act. However, he said a case against the company was pending in the Lahore High Court.

Responding to another question by Syed Ehsanullah Waqas, he said the Pak View Housing Society cancelled allotments of plots to some members on account of non-payment of dues. He said under the law the society could allot such plots to other persons for raising funds for carrying out development work.

To a supplementary, the minister said the annual audit of the housing society was complete up to June 30, 2001, and some irregularities were also found.

To a question by Syed Ehsan Murtaza, Culture Minister Shaukat Ali said there was a ban on dance in Alhamra halls. Regarding income and expenses of the Alhamra Art Centre, he said its income from July, 2001, to November, 2003, remained Rs47,126,738 and expenditure Rs46,447,369.

Responding to a question by Ms Kanwal Naseem about registered cooperative societies, Malik Anwar said there were a total of 530 registered societies in Lahore. He said the number of defaulter societies in Lahore district was 34 against which a sum of Rs4,340,415 was outstanding.

He told the house that of these 34 societies, action had been taken against nine societies under rules 1927 of the Cooperative Societies Act, 1925, and warrants of arrest had also been issued following the court proceedings. He said cases against the remaining 25 societies were pending in the court of assistant registrar (General Cooperative Society, Lahore). -APP