ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has set August 31 as the deadline for removal of all commercial units established in residential areas, including private schools set up after 1999, a source told Dawn on Friday.

About 41 guest houses in the capital have already been declared security threat by law-enforcement agencies, the source said. The authority, he said, had failed to take any action against the owners as they had reportedly formed an association and jointly obtained a stay order from Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench.

According to the authority rules, any commercial activity, accept for clinics, in residential areas is banned. A CDA survey report stated that some 666 residential units fell under non- conforming use of residential buildings, the source said.

He said notices had been served on those running educational institutions, beauty parlours, rest houses, restaurants, show rooms, offices and shops in residential units.

A spokesman for the authority said those who wanted to run any sort of business in the federal capital had to get an NoC from the authority first. After receiving applications for setting up of businesses, CDA officials concerned conduct survey of the site or commercial unit and prepare a report, which is finally approved by the higher authorities.

He said the CDA had prepared a plan to take legal action against the violators, who could be sent behind the bars or fined, after the deadline of August 31.

Talking to this reporter, some of the people, using residential units for commercial purpose, claimed that they had established their businesses after approval of the authority and now the CDA had no right to take any action against them.