The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday was asked to make a policy to compensate plots for the affected owners of nurseries, adjust the Islamabad-based nursery owners on priority, and to formulate a two-phase policy for open-auction to lease land for nurseries.
The sub-committee of the standing committee of cabinet secretariat was headed by Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak. Other members include Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, and Farhana Qamar. The meeting was held at CDA headquarters on Thursday.
NA sub-committee directed CDA to provide substitute land to the affected owners of nurseries and resolve other issues in consultation with the representatives of Islamabad Nurseries Welfare Association (INWA).
The sub-committee criticised the civic agency over poor management, coordination and lack of information. Farhana Qamar questioned CDA planning representatives that why there was a huge difference between the number of nurseries reported by INWA and the civic agency.
Member planning CDA Asad Mehmood Kiyani said that according to the official data, there are some 100 nurseries which could be adjusted in the area of Chak Shehzad and sector H-10.
However, the president INWA apprised the committee that there were 250 nurseries from which only 180 were registered.
Member planning CDA Asad Mehmood Kiyani said that according to the official data, there are some 100 nurseries which could be adjusted if the authority gave four kanals to each in the 376 kanal area of Chak Shehzad and sector H-10.
Earlier, the enforcement directorate of CDA launched an operation against the nurseries operating with cancelled leases. Seven nurseries were demolished at Chak Shehzad. It is also pertinent to mention here that 23 plots were leased out for the nurseries at Chak Shehzad and later, all the 23 leases and licenses of these plots were cancelled after the approval of the policy for their disposal by a CDA board, in its decision on Oct 31, 2011. However, the nursery mafia managed to get a stay order from court so the authority could not take action against them. The tenants have, in most cases violated the terms and conditions of their allotment or lease agreements which is why they wanted to avoid putting in a request for extension, while CDA is also not taking the issue seriously. Hence, there is silence on both ends which means that the tenants run their businesses in the properties or plots with expired agreements. CDA is neither charging rent nor it is working to vacate the encroaches which ultimately is incurring huge loss to the agency.
President INWA Muhammad Sidiqui said that they had offered the civic agency to rent them the premises at sector H-9, as it would become the source of revenue for CDA, and the INWA would also help the civic agency to make the capital green, adding that the INWA, if given plots at nominal rent, would also install 50,000 flowerpots and thousands of beautiful flowers on various roads every year.
In 2007, then Chairman CDA Kamran Lashari after the approval of the board had leased 26 plots at sector H-9 keeping in view the needs of citizens, which are still vacant and the authority has not given the possession of those plots. This also caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.
In a committee, a two-phase policy was introduced. In the first phase, only Islamabad based nurseries would be entertained and given plots. In second phase, an open auction would be conducted in which all companies associated with nurseries can be a part of the bidding process.
The members of committee asked CDA that if the authority charged only Rs2, 000 per month and if the allotted people re-rent their premises on Rs30, 000 per month, then how could a nursery market be established.
In response, Asad Kayani said that there is already section 144 imposed, and a complete ban on construction across capital. He said that no electricity, water and gas connection would be entertained by the concerning directorates without the No-Objection Certificate (NoC) of CDA.
Convener Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan and member Farhana Qamar also drew the attention of member planning towards the mushrooming of encroachment at Bahra Kahu. They asked them to operate against the violators and seal the illegally raised buildings. They alleged that the venal officials were receiving kick-backs and the locals built their multistory buildings without any proper sewage, water systems in convenience with the capitals foremost civic agency.
