ISLAMABAD, July 25: The development work at Sector D-12 was stopped on Thursday after the residents of Siri Saral and Pind Sangrial villages put up resistance to seek compensation for their land acquired by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The authority staff had to return after the villagers, including women and children, staged a day-long sit-in on the land where development work was underway. However, the machinery, like bulldozers, tractors etc., has not yet been removed.
A source in the CDA said the interior minister, Moinuddin Haider, had ordered an inquiry into suspension of the development work. He also directed the authority chairman, Mir Laiq Shah, to resolve the issue amicably.
The sector is being developed on the land of the two villages. The project was formally launched on July 16 after 14 years of its approval.
“We will continue our protest and not allow any body to resume the development work unless our right is given,” Mohammad Asharf, leader of the affected villagers, told Dawn.
He said some of the villagers had been given alternative land in sector I-14. However, most of the people are still waiting for the compensation, he said, adding that some 2,000 kanals in sector D-12 were still disputed.
Some 12 villagers, who have over 100 kanals each in Siri Saral, are demanding that they should be given agricultural plots in compensation for their lands.
The source said there were about 2,000 houses in the two villages which would have to be removed by the CDA for starting development work.
The authority has warned the villagers that cases will be registered against them with the police if they damage its machinery at the site.
The source said, initially, the number of affected villagers was 700, but in 1988, some 1,612 fake claims were made in connivance with the CDA officials and compensation amount on these claims had been given. However, the genuine villagers are still deprived of the compensation.
The villagers’ leader said some 140 land-compensation cases, that had been filed with the deputy commissioner’s office in the last many years, were yet to be decided.
Some villagers said their land was acquired in 1985 under the CDA’s land disposal policy-1984. As per the policy, the authority was bound to provide 20 kanal agriculture land to the owners in place of 40 kanals acquired.
The affected villagers lamented that they had been given very meagre compensation amount, thus the CDA should pay them more for acquiring their land.
The source said, according to a recent decision, the CDA had refused to provide any more compensation to the affected villagers.
Answering a question, the villagers’ leader said the villagers wanted to move court for seeking justice, but they could not meet the expenses of their cases and lawyers’ fee.
“But if we do not get justice from any side, we will have to arrange money to challenge the CDA decision in the court,” he added.
The affected villagers said a CDA official should visit the site and give assurance to them regarding compensation for their land, otherwise the development work would remain suspended.
Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Mir Laiq Shah, has also ordered to stop development work of six private housing societies in sector E-11, informed sources told Dawn.
The sources said the officials concerned had been asked to prepare a brief report about the issue within two days.
“Some senior officials of the authority are trying to cover up the violations committed by the owners of these societies and giving them suggestions to get approved their schemes through illegal ways,” the sources said.
The schemes are being developed in E-11 without meeting Zoning Regulations-1992 and approval of the CDA, the sources added.
The sources said all the six housing schemes —- National Police Foundation Housing Society, Multi Professionals Cooperative Housing Society, Multi Ahbab Cooperative Housing Society, Services Cooperative Housing Society, Federation of Employees Cooperative Housing Society and Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society —- did not meet the requirement of 1,600 kanals of land which was necessary for establishing a society.
According to the Zoning Regulation-1992, a housing society should have at least 1,600 kanals of land for residential and commercial plots.
Zoning Regulations-1992 have no provision for the issuance of one No Objection Certificate for more than one housing scheme in Zone-II.
The sources said the CDA had served notices to these housing societies to stop the development work otherwise a stern action could be taken against them.