TOBA TEK SINGH: Different departments will coordinate with each other to ensure enforcement of Punjab government’s land-use rules, protection of green areas and to check any attempt to establish or advertise illegal housing schemes in Faisalabad district.

It was decided at a meeting held on Saturday in Faisalabad presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Tariq Khan Niazi. It also reviewed the departments role in implementing Punjab government standing instructions relating to the land-use rules. The ADC directed the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA), revenue department, metropolitan and municipal corporations, district council, municipal committees, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Wasa, Fesco, SNGPL, PTCL and other concerned departments to adopt a joint strategy in this regard.

The meeting was also attended by FDA Director General Dr Zahid Ikram, Additional Director General Abid Husain Bhatti, Chief Engineer Mehr Ayub, Town Planning directors Asma Mohsin, Raheel Zafar, District Officer (planning) District Council, Sheerin Newton, PHA Director Zaheer Ahmed, Wasa Director Hafiz Hasan Nisar, Fesco’s Khurram Anayat and other officers concerned.

FDA DG Dr Zahid said that strict measures were vital to curb the illegal conversion of agricultural land and green areas into housing schemes, warning the violators of legal action. He said the FDA had already been dispatching letters to the departments concerned, barring them from providing electricity, gas and other utility services in the illegal housing schemes, while a ban had been slapped on registration of sale deeds and advertisement of such schemes.

He said the list of approved, unapproved and illegal housing schemes had been uploaded to the FDA website, besides providing the same to the concerned departments.

The meeting also decided that revenue department would check mutation, transfer of land, sale and purchase of properties in illegal housing schemes.

It was decided the PHA would take immediate steps to stop advertisement of illegal housing schemes as per the Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Schemes Rules 2021, while Fesco and SNGPL won’t provide electricity and gas connections to such schemes.

Meanwhile, Wasa won’t provide water supply and sewerage services, while the PTCL would deny landline phone connections and fiber optics services in such housing schemes.

On this occasion, town planning director was appointed as focal person by FDA for departmental coordination.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2022