LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA’s) proposed amnesty scheme to regularise unapproved housing schemes has attracted adverse remarks from Lahore High Court judges as well as those who legally got approved and developed housing schemes.

The LHC chief justice in a writ petition reportedly reprimanded the LDA for introducing an amnesty scheme for regularising illegal housing schemes, especially those in the green areas. He also directed the LDA to stop work on the scheme which was prepared in the light of the recommendations of the water commission constituted earlier by the LHC.

The LDA started work on the amnesty scheme on the directions of its governing body meeting held in December last and a letter issued by the chairman of the Judicial Water and Environment Commission in this regard to expedite the process of registration of housing societies.

“A draft of the Amnesty Scheme was submitted on Jan 15 in compliance with the decision by the authority and directions passed by the commission. The first meeting of the Amnesty Committee was convened on Jan 15,” reads a working paper placed for approval in a meeting of the LDAgoverning body but was deferred due to ongoing hearing of the case by the LHC.

The paper quoted the Judicial Water Commission as issuing directions that all efforts being made by the commission in favour of LDA/Wasa helping out to bring the unauthorised private housing schemes and settlements into a regular tax net to ease out the regulatory functions of the LDA and to resolve the issues of people residing in such private societies/settlements.

“The chairman directed the preparation of the amnesty scheme after due consultation with legal advisers. Moreover, the LDA director general also convened a meeting onJan 16 in which provisions of LDA Act-1975 and LDA Private Housing Schemes Rules were discussed and it was observed that no scheme can be regularised in violation of the prescribed land use of the master plan and in case of violations of the rules necessary amendments are required.”

The DG, according to the paper, desired for submission of Amnesty Scheme vis-a-vis legal amendments.

It was considered that as regards old settlements and societies wherein sponsors are no more available the residents/association of residents may contribute proportionate land cost of different violations and in this regard Escrow Accounts may be opened.

Subsequently, a meeting of the commission was held on Jan 19 in which it was told that a draft amnesty scheme was presented before the court. The court agreed with the proposed Amnesty Scheme and its approval from the LDA and the Cabinet as per law.

“It has been decided in principle that we will not regularise all those schemes that were developed in the green areas in violation of the master plan,” LDA DG Ahmad Aziz Tarar told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2021