New commercialisation policy: LDA seeks data about more than 6,400 buildings

LAHORE: To formulate a new commercialisation policy, Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has collected data about more than 6,400 multi-storey commercial buildings, situated in different housing schemes.

Officials said that the exercise was carried out in line with the directions by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Lahore Development Authority Director General Amna Imran Khan held a meeting here Wednesday in connection with the preparation of new master plan and commercialisation policy for Lahore at Punjab Urban Unit on Wednesday.

She told that information with regard to the area, number of storeys, status of implementation or violation of building by-laws, provision of parking facilities, nature of use and general condition of a building has been collected besides photographs of the structure, for this purpose.

The meeting observed that master plan was a comprehensive document which should not deal with the land use of properties only, it should also cater for long-term planning in the fields of environment, economic activities, transport system, investment opportunities and other issues related to the lives of the people.

The meeting was of the view that for preparation of a workable, long-term and comprehensive master plan, all the relevant departments should be on board and there must be close cooperation and complete understanding between these departments for this purpose.

The meeting also underlined the need for increasing parking space for the high rise buildings and bringing about necessary amendment to relevant building regulations for this purpose. The meeting decided for taking input by the general public as well besides the stakeholders for the preparation of master plan.

The meeting decided to hold its next meeting at Doongi Ground, near Mini Market, Gulberg, today (Thursday) at 2:30pm in which all town planners of LDA will participate and answer questions of media and other senior officials.

Dairy farm sealed: Punjab Food Authority on Wednesday shut down a dairy farm for substandard operation and proved adulteration in milk. Authority also recovered estrogen and oxytocin injections from the site which were injected to cows to increase the milk production.

On the directions of Punjab Food Authority Director General Captain Muhammad Usman (r), food dairy teams carried out a province-wide crackdown against dairy farms to inspect the milk quality and food safety standards, on Wednesday.

The PFA teams visited 163 dairy farms, inspected 47 dairy farms in Lahore Zone, 67 in Rawalpindi, 36 in Bahawalpur and 13 in Rahimyar Khan Zone.During the drive, PFA shut down a dairy farm over the substandard operation and proved adulteration in milk. Authority also recovered estrogen and oxytocin injections from the site which were injected to cows to increase the milk production.

Dairy teams of PFA imposed heavy fine tickets on three dairies and served warning notices for improvement to 148 dairy farms. PFA is taking steps for the elimination of adulterated milk in Punjab. The Authority has discarded 288,000 litre tainted milk so far, he concluded.