ISLAMABAD: Two subcommittees of parliament on Monday criticised the departments concerned for not resolving the issues of land-affected people and failing to take action against operators of housing societies who were exploiting the citizens.

The Senate subcommittee met with Senator Kalsoom Parveen in the chair to examine the rules, regulations and laws enacted and amended by the CDA in consultation with the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) administration to regulate the housing schemes.

The committee convener said the administration of interior housing society after collecting money from the citizens had deposited Rs800 million in a private bank account. She alleged that mark-up on the amount was going into the pockets of some officials.

CDA Member Planning Asad Kayani said there were several issues in the housing society and last year the civic agency had cancelled its no-objection certificate (NOC).

Two subcommittees direct CDA officials to resolve issues of locals whose land was acquired for different sectors

The committee directed the CDA and the ICT administration to present details of the society in the next meeting.

Senator Parveen said for the development of the capital the CDA had acquired land from the local people but now the locals were not being allowed to construct their houses on their own land without an NOC from the civic agency.

Last year, the CDA linked new construction with an NOC and approval of building plans of residential and commercial buildings.

However, the convener of the committee said there was a need for removing anomalies in the law to facilitate the locals.

Senator Hidayatullah told the committee that Gulberg Housing Scheme launched by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been receiving pending payments without issuing any prior notices.

He said those who made full payments in 2013 were not being given plots rather the society through different tactics was charging extra amount from them.

Registrar ICT Mohammad Ali told the committee that he had taken up the issue with the administration of the society and was informed that they were charging extra amount from the allottees of 2013 in the light a decision taken at the annual general meeting.

He said the complaint of the senator would be checked to ascertain if it was an individual case.

The subcommittee also discussed the growing shortage of water in Islamabad and directed the CDA to take measures to resolve it. CDA officials informed the committee that underground water resources were depleting and the water level in Simly and Khanpur dams had also significantly reduced because of shortage of rains.

Earlier, a National Assembly subcommittee headed by MNA Malik Abrar Ahmed also discussed a number of issues related to the CDA.

The CDA officials briefed the committee about the cases of land affected people and reasons for the delay in the provision of alternative plots and payment of compensation to them.

They said land for D-13, E-13, F-13, C-13, C-14, C-15 and C-16 had been acquired in 2008-9 on a land-sharing policy but the built-up property in these sectors, except C-15, had not been acquired so far.

They said H-16 and I-17 had been acquired on cash compensation and the affected people were yet to be paid the outstanding amount of Rs8.45 billion.

The built-up property in Kuri and Rehara villages was acquired in 2010 on the basis of a package deal and the payment of compensation and allotment of plots has not been undertaken yet.

The officials also shared with the members the details of beneficiaries and affected people in the development of E-12.

The committee directed them to resolve the issues of the locals.

The CDA member planning informed the committee that the civic agency had earmarked 44 sites in place of nurseries that once existed in H-9 and a summary would be presented to the CDA board for getting approval to dispose of the sites.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2018