When the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) launched Johar Town residential scheme over 20 years back, it had not adopted extraordinary measures to acquire trouble-free land that could make computerisation of the scheme later easy.

Resultantly, in a number of cases – most of them in the exemption category (developed plots offered to land owners in exchange for acquisition of their land by the LDA) -- the authorities continued to indulge in litigation, causing a delay in computerisation.

Keeping in view the problems, the authorities took up the issue seriously for the first time a few years ago, deciding to get such disputes resolved through courts besides introducing policies and rules to protect rights of bonafide owners. According to officials, a majority of issues have either been resolved or were near resolution and the LDA has started working on computerisation of the scheme that will facilitate a large number of residents of the city’s biggest residential project in transfers, building plans, completion certificates, building period extension and getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The pilot project to computerise Johar Town will be replicated in other LDA-owned schemes, including Iqbal Town and Township, once it is complete and successful. All offices/directorates dealing with issues related to Johar Town have been tasked with providing relevant data to the LDA’s IT wing.

“The town planning wing has been recently assigned the duty to ensure provision of data on the formats that includes information concerning building plans, approval, violations, completion, building period, dues and other information about the entire residential and commercial property of the town. Similarly, directors (land development, estate management and allotments) have been directed to provide records related to property allotment, exemption, owners, NOC, land record, clearance, objections and others within a week or so,” LDA Director General Ahad Cheema told Dawn.

He said once all the data was collected, it would be entered into computers. And finally, the directorate concerned would prepare a separate page for each property which would then be uploaded to the LDA’s website.

“In this way, any resident of Johar Town or those planning to buy property here can view relevant records and not need to visit LDA offices to check status of the properties,” he added.

Cheema said similarly those selling their properties would have to visit LDA’s one-window cell once or twice to transfer to purchasers. They would not require an NOC or a pass.

Talking about the properties under litigation or with a suspicious status, he said these could also enter into the new system. But those seeking transfer of such properties would have to pass through a manual review by scrutiny committees, verification by directors concerned and an NOC. He said the project would likely be completed within a couple of months. He claimed that Johar Town would be the first computerised project in the city.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) would open a butterfly house at Jallo Park to the public by the end of February.

According to officials, a huge glass cabin has been fixed and filled with thousands of beautiful butterflies of various species to start breeding.

“It is a very unique project,” claims PHA spokesman Javaid Shaida.

He said the project would allow butterflies to breed in their own environment that has been created artificially through special equipments. Visitors would be allowed to enter the cabin and play with the butterflies.

He said initially visitor entry to the butterfly cabin would be free. But later, the PHA might fix a ticket.

khalidpak284@yahoo.com

Published in Dawn January 13th , 2014

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