LAHORE, Sept 3: Participants in a meeting of the newly-constituted Peri-Urban Areas Identification Committee on Monday decided to start mapping of such areas around the city in order to control mushroom growth of private housing schemes in agriculture zones.

The peri-urban areas mean the land/localities that are contiguous to urban areas with low population density, being predominately used for agricultural activity and likely to be urbanised in the next 20 years or so.

The meeting, presided over by Institute of Planners Pakistan president and a senior town planner Aslam Mughal, was attended by the UET’s City and Regional Planning Department Chairman Dr Ghulam Abbas Anjum, Punjab government’s Urban Unit representative Dr Nasir Javaid and the representatives of city district government, Lahore Development Authority and other concerned departments.

Committee’s Secretary Ms Umme Laila Naqvi (CDGL’s special planning department’s district officer) briefed the participants about the core objectives of the body constituted by Lahore DCO Noor-ul-Amin Mengal and sought their input in this regard.

Various issues related to jurisdiction of CDGL, LDA, towns, DHA and restricted areas of the city came under discussion at the meeting. The participants agreed to start an extensive debate on various city areas being considered for carrying out development by the CDGL, LDA, towns or other civic agencies in the next 20-25 years.

They also sought technical guidance from Urban Unit representative in this regard, requesting him to initiate mapping work in such areas, keeping in view the city’s historical and traditional background and the existing master plan.

The participants also sought an assurance that a reasonable level of agriculture land/green areas would be preserved so that city’s congested localities could get maximum oxygen.

DCO Mengal told Dawn the objective of the committee was not limited to checking mushroom growth of housing schemes through identification of peri-urban areas, it would also submit recommendations to transform the city into a well-planned metropolis.

He said as he recently attended a conference of mayors of the world’s selected cities in South Korea, he would also give his input to the committee in this regard.

INSPECTION: DCO Noorul Amin Mengal on Monday inspected the under-construction building of the Pak Tea House and took notice of delay in completion of the work.

He visited various parts of the building and directed the officials to ensure its completion by the end of this month.

He also ordered Data Ganj Bakhsh Town TMO to attend the court proceedings on Sept 10 and try to get vacated the stay order obtained by an illegal tyre shop located adjacent to the Pak Tea House.