KASUR: A lack of coordination between the local traders and the LDA, high DC rates of commercial land and unsuitable business conditions due to Covid-19 pandemic are keeping the local entrepreneurs away from getting their properties commercialised under the law, Dawn has learnt.

The LDA had launched campaign in four districts -- Metropolitan Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib -- to commercialise private land and properties in the areas identified by the district administrations. It served notices on scores of local traders and property owners last week. Seeing the looming shadow of the LDA operation, the traders and property owners demanded a halt in the operation and dialogue with them.

Speaking to Dawn, local traders’ union representatives including Asif Ali, Shahzad Sajid, Muhammad Riaz and Zafar Khokhar said the LDA ought to divide the properties in the commercial zone into various categories all of which were not of equal significance for business as well as market price of the property.

They also demanded that traders should be allowed to 20pc of the DC rate at the time of registration of sale deed rather than the current price.

They also demanded that the Punjab government should not have the same yardstick for metro and other cities. The government, they said, should review its policy and save the corona-stricken business community by halting the operation till the conditions are normalised.

An LDA official said the funds generated from the ongoing campaign in the four districts of Lahore division would be utilised on the development of these districts. He said documentation and taxation always boost business and the traders should realise their national duty towards paying taxes now.

LDA development director Ali Nusrat told Dawn that some officials of municipal committees were misleading the people and minting money on various pretexts. He said the LDA had, therefore, displayed banners at important spots in the city to guide people.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2020