LHC seeks record of housing societies built on greenbelts

LAHORE: A bench of the Lahore High Court Tuesday sought a report from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) about the actions taken against illegal housing societies in city, ARY News reported.

A bench of the high court headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan was hearing a petition against construction of housing schemes on green land areas and greenbelts.

A counsel of the LDA told the court that notices have been issued to the housing societies constructed on green land areas and the societies have been prevented from the the power, water and gas connections as well as a ban has been imposed on the sale of land in these societies.

He said at least 241 societies had been found involved in violation of greenbelts.

The chief justice said that housing societies could not be developed over the green land area but due to inefficiency of the LDA now millions of people living in these housing societies.

He noted that the illegal societies had been allowed to continue their construction work despite the stay orders. “How could they continue work despite restraining orders against it,” the chief justice questioned.

Chief Justice LHC remarked that the budget of the LDA was in billions of rupees but its performance was zero.

The bench summoned the record of the housing societies having restraining orders from courts and the societies developed at green land areas in the city.

The court also ordered the LDA to submit report about its operation for vacating green land areas.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the case until January 28.