40 plots allotted through balloting

LAHORE:The long wait of the affectees of LDA Avenue-I has come to an end after eight private landowners agreed to get 30 percent exemption in lieu of their lands and 40 plots were allotted through balloting here on Monday.

To ensure transparency, the plots were allocated by computerised balloting in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), said a senior LDA official. LDA governing body member Sadia Sohail Rana MPA and LDA Director General Ahmed Aziz Tarar initiated computerised balloting. Through balloting on previous two occasions, LDA handed over possession to a total of 623 affectees. Another 104 affectees were allotted plots through the current balloting making the total count to 727.

Negotiations are underway with private housing schemes to accept exemption formula for giving possession of plots to the remaining 1,196 affectees of the scheme. Additional Director General Urban Planning Rana Tika Khan, Chief Metropolitan Planner Syed Nadeem Akhtar Zaidi, Chief Town Planner Tariq Mahmood and other officers concerned were also present on the occasion.

Wasa: A follow up meeting on further improvement of drainage network in the provincial metropolis was held at Wasa head office here on Monday. The meeting was headed by Wasa Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz. Senior officials attended the meeting and presented their suggestions and recommendations on further improving the drainage arrangements.

All the relevant Wasa directors submitted their written suggestions for further improvement of drainage network in their areas. The proposed recommendations will be made part of the master planning, said Wasa MD.

He said drainage arrangements will be further improved before the next monsoon season, adding the agency has also written a letter to PHA on deepening the green belts.