Why the City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) is reluctant to launch the second and third phases of the ongoing anti-encroachment operation is a question on endeavours to make Lahore encroachment-free. Under a strategy, the CDGL had launched the ‘Combined Anti-encroachment Drive’ on February 18 by dividing the city into three zones. Comprising enforcement staff of respective town municipal administrations and Lahore Development Authority along with police force, the operation’s first phase was aimed at removing encroachments from major roads. This was to be followed by phases 2 and 3 covering all commercial markets and residential localities and thoroughfares.
Though the strategy was right considering available resources, the CDGL surprisingly changed it, limiting the operation to major areas under phase 1 allegedly under pressure from local politicians of the ruling party and trade unions. Non-execution of the anti-encroachment operation at Bilal Ganj and other markets by the TMAs concerned shows the officials’ hesitance to avoid the wrath of those opposing expansion of the operation.
“Such operations in Lahore have always remained incomplete because of political intervention. Though they are always started with great enthusiasm, the departments concerned leave them midway,” says Lahore Conservation Society Secretary (Information) Prof Ajaz Anwar.
He quoted example of the Chauburji intersection that was once planned to be widened but the dream could not be fulfilled due to political reasons. He said if the government seriously desired to make the city encroachment-free, it would have to complete the operation neutrally by all means.
According to an insider, if the government launched the remaining phases of the operation, it could face resistance from trade unions and voters. “That’s why officials are reluctant to move ahead keeping in view the annoyance of political personalities. And Bilal Ganj where the operation was scheduled under phase 2 is yet to be touched,” the official said. He claimed the teams’ constant focus on phase 1 clearly showed the remaining phases wouldn’t be launched.
Lahore District Coordination Officer Dr Ahmad Javaid Qazi dispelled the impression of political influence as the main hurdle in launching phases 2 and 3 of the operation.
“We have modified our strategy by carrying out follow-up visits three days a week to remove encroachments emerging again. Besides this we are also developing state land we are retrieving from illegal occupants during the operation,” he elaborated. He said as soon as the teams finished phase 1 under the modified strategy, they would surely launch the remaining phases in congested bazaars/markets, including Bilal Ganj and residential localities. He said the government had given a free hand to the city government in completing the operation in a free and fair manner.
The Punjab chief secretary has taken notice of reports of violation of one dish and time limit rules at weddings in Lahore and other districts. Punjab’s top boss’s notice of affairs of implementing government policy and relevant rules has pushed the officials concerned to move and monitor weddings and take action against those flouting the law.
The chief secretary, in a recent letter to DCOs of Lahore and other districts, has also mentioned poor performance of some districts in this regard. According to data cited in the letter, only 18 cases were reportedly registered in the last week at police stations of 13 districts. Two each in Lahore, Nankana and Jhang, one each in Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Chiniot, Layyah, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh and Vehari and three cases in Sialkot were registered against violations of the Punjab Marriage Functions Act 2003.
Since the chief secretary’s intervention, on Monday night officials inspected 80 weddings in the city and got cases against two people registered. This move by the province’s top official is appreciable, but he should also direct police to take action against those firing in the air during these functions.
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) seems serious about solving the old problem of issuing building completion certificates to owners of three-and-a-half-marla houses constructed in all LDA-owned schemes.
Most of such houses were constructed without leaving a space of five feet at the front elevation in violation of building bylaws. Since the situation made officials unable to issue completion certificates to owners, the management of LDA’s Town Planning Wing decided to introduce an amendment in the relevant clauses/sections that declared such constructions illegal.
According to a senior town planning official, the LDA had proposed that the condition of leaving five feet at the front elevation of such houses be removed keeping in view the small covered area of a three-and-a-half-marla house. “Many owners of such houses in Johar Town, Gujjarpura and other LDA schemes have not followed the rules because they couldn’t do so due to the available covered area, which was already small,” the official explained.
He said many people applied for getting completion certificates but the LDA couldn’t issue them because of the violation. “And if we process such applications, the owners will have to bear a heavy cost for violations in the form of demolition along with legal proceedings with heavy fines,” he added. He said the LDA administration wanted to give relief to the people so it decided to amend the rules.
As soon as the amendment is approved by the LDA’s governing body, the town planning department will be able to issue completion certificates. It would also enhance revenue of the authority, as people would have to at least pay fines for violations, the official added. — (khalidpak284@yahoo.com)