ISLAMABAD: Federal Ombudsperson Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has summoned the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officers and operators of five housing societies functioning in E-11 at the next hearing with a workable solution to address the grievances faced by residents of the sector.

The order of the ombudsperson came after residents of E-11 approached his office with complaints against the management of the housing societies and said the societies lacked adequate civic facilities and there had been no action despite multiple complaints. Residents complained of encroachments, poor maintenance of sewerage system, short supply of water, narrowing of nullahs and dilapidated condition of roads.

Subsequently, an inspection team led by ombudsperson secretariat Registrar Saqib Khan and Adnan Ahmad visited the sector on the directives of the ombudsperson. According to the ombudsman office, the team visited different areas of all housing societies in E-11 .i.e. National Police Foundation (NPF), Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society, Services Cooperative Housing Society and Multi-Professional Housing Society. They heard both residents and the management of the said societies.

The team investigated all complaints and observed that the narrowing and choking of drainage channels during the rainy season caused nuisance to the residents, the statement said, adding that it also inspected the site of a commercial plaza due to which a double-lane road had been turned into a single lane in a housing society. It said that residents also informed the team that due to damaged electricity transformers, power breakdowns were frequent.

Summons civic body officials, societies’ managements; inspection team visits area, observes choked drainage channels causing inconvenience

“Cleanliness and drinking water facility was also found to be deficient and sewerage system was found in a terrible condition,” the statement said, adding that team felt that all the housing societies in the sector needed to bring their services in line with CDA rules and regulations.

It is relevant to note here that a majority of the said societies are operating without a valid no objection certificate (NOC) from the CDA. Besides, there are also over 70 unauthorised commercial and apartment buildings in the sector, which were developed without getting any approval from the CDA.

Some societies and high-rise buildings even narrowed down the passage of natural streams (nullahs). In August last year, the sector witnessed flooding, which resulted in the deaths of two persons and considerable damage to property.

Interestingly, the CDA which is supposed to regulate Islamabad never made any serious attempt to keep a check on the unauthorised construction in the said sector. In most of the cases, it kept itself restricted only to issuing “notices”.

When asked, an officer of the CDA said the civic agency and operators of housing societies would submit their replies and proposals to the ombudsman office by next week.

Last month, a hydrology study conducted by the Pakistan Army’s Directorate of Design and Consultancy revealed that natural streams had narrowed down in E-11, which caused urban flooding last year.

“The simulations revealed that every drainage channel in the area was overflowing its bank in the built-up area,” the study released on Aug 16 said.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2022