PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) has sought registration of first information reports (FIRs) against 71 illegal housing schemes in the provincial capital.
“About 104 housing societies are being established in Peshawar and only five of them are legal. Notices have been issued to 97 societies while the request of registration of FIRs against 71 has been made,” an official told The News.
Assistant Director, Private Housing Societies, Peshawar Development Authority, Daud Shah said PDA registers FIR after the society failed to reply to the notices and warnings. He said 50 percent of the schemes being established do not meet the criteria for issuance of the No-Objection Certificate while others had violated building regulations. The official said the district administration’s imposition of Section 144 was a helpful step as the police came into action after the ban while a few owners decided to abandon the schemes. It is worth mentioning here that the district administration last month ordered a ban on private housing societies being established in Peshawar without prior approval from the competent authorities. The order had stated that Assistant Director, Building Control Agency/Private Housing Schemes, PDA had issued several notices as well as asked the relevant SHOs to lodge FIRs against illegal housing societies. “Anyone found violating this order shall be proceeded against U/S 188 PPC [Pakistan Penal Code]. This order shall come into force forthwith and shall remain enforced for 30 days unless modified or withdrawn,” the notification read.
Daud Shah said there was an urgent need to curb the haphazard spiralling housing schemes. He stressed collective efforts for discouraging this practice, saying that Pesco, land revenue officials, SNGPL and TMAs should work collectively in discouraging the illegal housing schemes. The official said the Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) should not approve the housing schemes maps not meeting the criteria. He deplored that the TMAs could not implement the building regulations. “Around 12 housing schemes were approved by the TMAs,” he said, adding a couple of public sector housing schemes were being built in violation of the building rules. Tehsil Municipal Officer, Town-II, Waheedur Rehman, however, rejected the claim and said that TMAs do not approve maps of illegal housing schemes. He insisted that the TMAs approve residential or commercial maps under the building codes and building laws 2017.
The TMO said the PDA was the regulatory authority in Peshawar. “Its scrutiny committee issues the NOCs. The scrutiny committee checks the codes and formalities of the schemes and issues the NOC. We cannot take action against illegal housing societies as it is the job of the PDA,” he argued. Meanwhile, the district administration would extend the Section 144 imposed to check the haphazard growth of the private housing schemes in Peshawar.
Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Asghar told The News the housing schemes were being regulated by development agencies, for example, the PDA in Peshawar. He said these agencies have proper regulation for awarding the NOCs to the housing schemes.
Muhammad Ali said that instead of fulfilling the requirements for the housing schemes, investors purchase 20 or 40 kanal land and make five marla plots and transfer plots to buyers who construct small residential units. These units were without municipal and other required development works. When the administration gets information about such schemes it takes action and the accused faces court cases. He said the administration was left with no other option but to keep extending the Section 144 to address the problem.