Land mafia starts occupying state land

LAHORE: As the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is witnessing suspended operations due to Covid-19 pandemic, land mafia has started taking advantage of the situation by occupying state land in various city areas. "Any attempt to grab or illegally occupy state land by taking advantage of the present situation in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic outbreak will be foiled with full force,” Lahore Development Authority Director General Ahmad Aziz Tarar warned this on Friday.

He said that the relevant field staff of LDA was regularly visiting different housing schemes despite closure of government offices these days and all-out possible resources were being utilised for safeguarding precious state land, he added. He said that construction of boundary walls around the retrieved plots had been ordered for securing these sites from reoccupation. Meanwhile, the LDA staff thwarted three bids for occupying plots at Sabzazar and Tajpura schemes.

The LDA staff demolished illegally constructed structures at plot No 129-A and 129-B, in B Block of Sabzazar and retrieved two plots, each measuring 3.5 Marla, which had been grabbed during these days. Despite display of arms and severe resistance, the LDA staff also foiled the attempt to grab plot No 75, in L-Block of Sabzazar.