LAHORE, July 18: The Lahore Development Authority has paid Rs2 billion to the Land Acquisition Collector for 18,000 kanals of land acquired for the Avenue Housing Scheme and compensation for the crops and structures on it.

This was disclosed during a meeting of the LDA Governing Body held here on Friday to review the progress of work on the scheme. The governing body was informed that all the eight private housing schemes sanctioned over 15,710 kanal area before the announcement of the LDA Avenue had been kept intact.

It was further informed that three private housing schemes covering 1,700 kanal area had been adjusted in the LDA Avenue, but the authority had not included the area of any approved private housing scheme in it.

The authority would exclude the area of any approved housing scheme or industrial unit included in the LDA Avenue due to any lapse on production of evidence but it would not be responsible for the exclusion of the land of any unauthorized housing scheme or industrial unit.

The meeting was attended by Shalimar Town Nazim Ashiq Dayal, Aziz Bhatti Town Nazim Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf, LDA Director-General Shahid Khan, Wasa Managing Director Inam Qadir and representatives of different government departments.