LAHORE, April 22: The Lahore Development Authority decided on Monday to lease out the 400 kanal Expo Centre plot in Johar Town for Rs10 million per annum with an annual escalation of 3.33 per cent.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the governing body of the authority held here on Monday with city district Nazim Amer Mahmood in the chair. The lease rate was finalized after hearing the Industries Department secretary and a detailed discussion.

The governing body also decided to subdivide the large plots earmarked for public utility services into smaller ones because of difficulties being experienced in starting the public welfare activities on account of the expenditure involved in raising the infrastructure.

It decided to auction four large plots earmarked for the construction of schools in Johar Town and build its own school on another plot. It was also decided to re-auction the contract for parking fee collection at the Shahalam Market D-Point Plaza and allot a plot to the Pakistan Engineering Council in Johar Town for building its offices.

The governing body also heard Kamran Lashari, the director general of the Parks and Horticulture Authority, about payment of salaries to PHA employees. It was decided that the LDA chairman and director general and PHA director general would solve the problem by briefing the governor about its various aspects.

The meeting was attended by the LDA director general Muhammad Ismail Qureshi, PHA director general Kamran Lashari, the six town Nazims and representatives of the Punjab Housing and Physical Planning Department.