LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday informed the Lahore High Court that a grievance redressal committee had been constituted to decide the complaints of the residents of all the private housing schemes controlled by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).

Additional Advocate General Jawwad Yaqoob presented a notification of the committee before the court. The secretary for housing urban development would be the convener of the committee with the officials of LDA and the local government department as its members.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan heard petitions of the residents of different housing societies against improper regulations by the LDA.

On an objection raised by the petitioners’ side, the judge struck down a clause in the notification, which allowed a representative of a responding housing scheme to be a member of the committee.

The law officer told the judge that the committee would hear all complaints relating to the private housing schemes.

The judge directed the law officer to ensure that the committee also addresses complaints against the misuse of the amenity plots and utilities.

The judge also directed the chief secretary to elaborate the procedure of filing complaints through a one-window operation in the office of the LDA.

The judge said for the housing schemes outside the administrative control of the LDA, the complaints shall be filed before the respective deputy commissioners.

Justice Khan clarified that all the petitioners shall be summoned by the committee and their grievances shall be decided after a fair opportunity of hearing. He said the petitioners may challenge the committee’s decisions before the court.

The judge also restrained all private housing societies from taking coercive measures against any existing resident or the applicant of the housing schemes (complete or incomplete) without a prior permission from the committee.

The judge adjourned the hearing of the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2023