RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is all set to start action against housing societies whose operators did not get no-objection certificates (NOC) from the civic body and started selling plots.

“We have made a list of all the housing societies in the limits of Rawalpindi who did not apply for NOC with the RDA and have started selling plots. First we will issue them notice from Monday and after a week their site offices will be demolished and cases registered against the developers and owners,” said RDA Chairman Arif Abbasi while talking to Dawn.

He said citizens had filed complaints about five housing societies whose owners applied for NOC but started selling plots before completion of the process. He said these housing societies submitted their layout plans which were sent to the land revenue department to check the status of their land ownership and other requirements.

We have made a list of schemes who did not apply for NOC and started selling plots, says chairman

He said under the law the RDA issues provisional permission to those housing societies who apply for the NOC. But the societies cannot sell plots during this period.

“We will issue notices on Monday and if they did not stop selling plots stern action will be taken against them.”

He said a survey of the housing societies had been completed in Ramazan but the RDA deferred action against the illegal housing societies for a few days. “We will launch action on the first working day after Eidul Fitr holidays.”

Mr Abbasi said the RDA had established a complaint cell and people were filing their complaints about illegal housing societies without any fear as the government wanted to end the illegal activities.

He said there were more than 13 housing schemes in the city areas and many buildings had been constructed in violation of the building by-laws.

He said some commercial buildings and plazas had also been constructed in residential areas and the RDA would impose heavy fines on them for violation of rules and regulations. Action will also be taken against officials found involved in allowing the operators to construct the buildings.

Apart from housing societies, he said, the RDA also planned to launch an anti-encroachment drive. He said during Ramazan, the civic body did not launch any drive but it would start the campaign in the coming week.

He said the building and land branch had been asked to complete the survey of illegal constructions within the city areas and check the land record from the revenue department to avoid any hurdles.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2019