ISLAMABAD: After hearing owners of brick kilns operating in two acquired sectors, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has declared all 58 kilns in H-16 and I-17 ‘unlawful and illegal’.

Sources said that CDA director land Afnan Alam in his report also asked the enforcement directorate to proceed against them under Industrial Relations Ordinance.

A CDA official said that earlier on receipt of information about the illegal brick kilns from the Enforcement Directorate, the director ordered a survey of brick kilns conducted by revenue officials.

Later, notices were served on owners of brick kilns and after a third notice, Chaudhry Masood and others filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which asked the civic agency to listen to the petitioners.

The CDA officials said that in line with IHC direction the petitioners made in person representation to director land.

The officials said that the petitioners recorded their point of view along with their counsel. The officials said CDA officials informed them that brick kilns in sector H-16 and I-17 were served with notices under the specified area (Restriction on Brick Kilns) Regulations 1962.

The sources said that after giving hearing to petitioners, the director land said: “The brick kiln owners of H-16 and I-17 have been given ample time and opportunity to provide any previous approval of the CDA obtained through an application made to the Director Land, however, none has been provided to date,” read the decision quoted by the sources.

They said that the orders further said: “In the absence of any previous approval of CDA, it transpired that these brick kilns have been operating “unlawfully and illegally” and directorate of enforcement CDA is to proceed under the law, (Industrial Regulation Ordinance) against the brick kilns in sector H-16 and I-17.”

The orders of director land further stated that CDA’s revenue officials are instructed to extend all possible support to the Enforcement Directorate in proceeding under the law against the brick kilns operating in the two sectors.

The sector H-16 and I-17 were acquired in 2008, however, so far, the civic agency has failed to clear compensation due to land holders to get complete possession of the land for starting development of the sectors.

However, a few years ago, the civic agency decided to hand over the entire I-17 sector to National University of Medical Sciences (Nums) for setting up a medical city which will have major health facilities.

When contacted, a senior officer of the civic agency said that following the court orders, the brick kiln owners had been given full hearing opportunity by director land who later decided that all 58 brick kilns are operating illegally.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2021