LAHORE: The management of the Punjab Government Servants Housing Foundation on Saturday dismissed its two directors (BS-19) from service for their involvement in facilitating the land mafia to occupy unlawfully the foundation’s precious land worth billions of rupees.

The foundation’s team, with the help of various departments concerned also retrieved the land from illegal occupants in Jhang city.

According to Rai Manzoor Nasir, foundation’s managing director, said that 640 kanals were situated at prime location near Satellite Town in Jhang city. He, through a press release, stated that two of its directors who had been hand in glove with the influential occupants had been dismissed from service. “No one would be allowed to occupy state land, he clarified unequivocally,” he warned.

The foundation had been established as a corporate body under the Punjab Government Servants Housing Foundation Act, 2004, promulgated on March 10, 2004 to introduce a scheme ‘for providing houses or plots on no profit no loss basis’to government servants (BS-1 to 22) on their retirement or to their families in case of death during service. The foundation is managed by a board of directors headed by the chief secretary and comprising seven ex-officio members.

PHA: Parks and Horticulture Authority Chairman Ghazali Saleem Butt on Saturday visited the authority’s horticulture zone 2 for the beautification of Lahore. He focused on the railway station and the adjacent areas, including the roads and green belts. He inspected the flower beds made of seasonal flowers and true-garden flowers. He praised the beauty of the roads adorned with seasonal flowers in the green belts and center medians. The chairman appreciated the hard work of the gardeners working diligently day and night to enhance the city’s beauty. Mr Butt said that gardeners play a central role in making Lahore greener and more vibrant. He added that it is our national duty to encourage and support the gardeners who enhance the beauty of the roads and gardens.

GAS: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) teams on Saturday disconnected illegal meters and imposed fines amounting to Rs3.8 million. In Lahore, SNGPL teams disconnected 14 illegal connections and imposed fines amounting to Rs. 1.66 million.

The Faisalabad regional team severed five illegal connections, addressed one compressor-related violation, and imposed fines of Rs200,000. Similarly, in Sheikhupura, fines of Rs1.34 million were levied on offenders involved in gas pilferage. The Gujranwala region saw one illegal connection disconnected, with fines amounting to Rs610,000 imposed on violators. In Bahawalpur, teams disconnected one illegal connection and addressed 23 compressor-related cases, while in Multan, 23 illegal connections were severed during the raids. In Sahiwal, SNGPL teams disconnected one illegal connection and one compressor-related case, imposing fines totaling Rs230,000.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2024