MULTAN: The Multan Development Authority (MDA) has rejected the observations made by a representative of the commissioner over the minutes of three agenda items of the governing body of the authority.

The items include the auction of a plot meant for a disposal station and giving the alternative plot to a cousin of the Director General MDA.

Through an official handout the MDA spokesman said that the representative of commissioner raised objections because of personal grudges against which the additional DG MDA sought explanation from him which is awaited.

The MDA sent the minutes of the meeting for the signing to the chairman and the members of the governing body according to which under agenda No 3, the house approved the auction of land of (abandoned) disposal station.

Regarding the plot of the cousin of DG MDA under agenda No 4, it is mentioned that as MDA DG Agha Ali Abbas Qazalbash had some affiliation with the owner of plot No7/E, Officers Colony; in the fitness of things he did not participate in discussion as usual.

A committee constituted by the governing body which proposed that the decision to provide alternate plots/shops in existing housing schemes of the MDA matching value of plot E/7 as per current valuation table taken at the 34th meeting may be reinstated; however after perusal of the recommendations made in the working paper, the chair raised some observations regarding the earlier possession of the encroached plots in question.

The house unanimously approved the matter subject to the satisfaction of the chairman in accordance with the office record with the consultation of convener of the committee for discussion and in case the committee rectifies the observations of the chairman then the item will be considered approved. However if the observations of chairman remain unsettled then the issue may again be placed before the house for further orders, it stated.

Agenda No 5 was to settle/regularize the illegal housing schemes and land subdivisions and according to meeting minutes a committee was constituted by the governing body under the chairmanship of DG MDA.

Iqbal Farid, Chief Corporation Officer Metropolitan Multan and the representative of commissioner, made observations over the minutes while stating that he did not agree with the minutes of three agenda items as the working paper says that the subject plot was meant for disposal station i.e. a public utility or public amenity. It is not clear that whether the plot is being sold as public utility plot or commercial plot. No proof of such conversion has been shown. Moreover, section 5 of the Disposal of Land by the Development Authorities (Regularity) Act 1998 clearly states that no public utility or public amenity area in a housing scheme shall be converted to any other use, stated otherwise. Justification of MDA governing body has been explicitly barred. It is not clear that how such conversion has been lawfully effected?

Regarding allotting alternative plot to the relative of DG MDA he stated that further information and deliberation are required while regarding regularizing the illegal housing schemes and sub-divisions he stated that the classification in this rule may be sought from the rules making body that is government of Punjab.

“The governing body of MDA is not competent forum to classify this rule. Classification/interpretation can be made either by the rule making body forum or by the court,” he stated.

While asking to expunge his dissenting note ADG Chaudhry Anwar in his letter to Mr Farid stated that the dissenting note against the agenda items is not justified in any manner as all the members including Mr Farid had agreed upon the specific agenda items after detailed discussion. He stated that Wasa authorities requested 5.25 marla land be reserved for the tubewell which was installed on the premises of disposal station in 2012.

He claimed that the body at its 82nd meeting unanimously approved the agenda item to auction the plot as according to section 13 of the Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976.

Mr Farid however said that observations made by him were justified as neither the chairman nor vice chairman signed the minutes when he raised the objections.

“However if the MDA authorities think the decision has been made according to law they should move forward instead of asking me to expunge the observations,” he said.

MDA Chairman Mian Jamil said that he had yet to sign the minutes and the authority had no powers to take any step before the minutes are signed by the chairman.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2020