December 03, 2007	Monday	Ziqa'ad 22, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: The federal capital territory administration has decided to act against the owners of an allegedly illegal farm-housing scheme launched in Sector C-17 and D-17 in Zone-II along the Grand Trunk Road in which people have invested millions of rupees, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

The sources said city managers had requested the district magistrate to take appropriate action against the owners of the scheme.

A letter from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has informed Islamabad’s District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali that no farm-housing scheme had been allowed in any part of the capital except in Zone-IV. The CDA also warned the general public not to invest in the scheme.

It is strange that the city managers declared the scheme, floated by Islamabad Agro-Farming Cooperative Society (IAFCS), illegal and unauthorised after people had invested millions of rupees in it. The belated notice issued to the society said: ”General public is, therefore, warned to refrain from any sale/purchase in the agro-farming scheme.”

Sources said neither the society had submitted its layout plan to the CDA nor the latter had given any approval for the project.

The management of the society has been directed to stop sale/purchase and development of the so-called agro-farming scheme, failing which action will be taken against them.

When contacted, CDA director housing schemes Sarwar Sindhu said besides serving notice on the society the CDA had also written a letter to the district administration’s registrar cooperatives to take stern action against the management of the housing scheme.