Allottees demand PM to stop creation of plots on greenbelt

Islamabad: Some retired bureaucrats of the Federal Government have appealed to the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of creation of additional plots on greenbelt and open space in Housing Scheme for Officer in violation of the approved layout plan in Kuri area of Islamabad.

The scheme for the government officers of BPS-20 to 22 was launched by the Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) during the year 2007 initially having 588 plots of different sizes on houses were to be raised.

However, in the last 11 years just 50% progress on the development activity had been carried out The retired bureaucrats including ex-federal secretary Afzal Bajwa, additional secretary Shafiqullah, Director General Wafaqi Mohtasib Malik Amanat Rasul, Ambassador Rizwanul Haq and others in their appeal have expressed concern over violation of existing layout plan already approved by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

They said the plan to create 40 additional plots on the greenbelt and space meant for graveyard, parks and play areas along with the approved layout plot is violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) okayed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The senior bureaucrats who are among allottees of 588 residential plots in the scheme said the motive behind creation of additional plots was to accommodate some favourites and earn crores of rupees by selling those to property dealers. They felt that illegal and dishonest practice of creation of more plots tantamount to corruption and it would also result in encourage private housing schemes to convert their greenbelts and open spaces into plots.

They said that following rejection by their revised plot having additional plots by the CDA, the PHA-Foundation moved a complaints to the Wafaqi Mohtasib against the authority. The retired bureaucrats feel that the exercise being undertaken by the PHA was against its own rules and regulations.

An officer of PHA, however, rejected grievances of the officers saying that the authority had the right to revise its layout plan. He said the PHA was committing no violation as they have planned to create more plots on the additional land.