RDA, TMAs not to register societies having less than 160 kanal land

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) have been directed not to grant permission for setting up housing societies on a piece of land measuring less than 160 kanal. The two institutions were also directed to ensure transfer of plots for the construction of mosques, schools, community centers and parks by these societies before their registration.
The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting presided over by Commissioner Rawalpindi, Zahid Saeed here for the registration of societies on Friday. The meeting was attended by District Co-ordination Officer (DCO), Rawalpindi, Imdad Ullah Bosal; DCO, Attock, Shakil Ahmed; DCO Chakwal, Tariq Waqar Bakhsh; DCO Jhelum Hameedullah Khan; DG, RDA, Makin Shahbaz and other senior officials.
The Commissioner directed to constitute a committee in each district and check the record of all the societies along with their present status and send the details to the commissioner office. He said the information about the illegal societies should be published in the media, aimed at preventing the people from plundering and looting at the hands of such societies.
Zahid Saeed said in an effort to protect rights of the allotted persons, no society will be registered unless it mortgages 20 percent of its plots and ensures provision of water and sewage systems at the time of registration to the concerned authority. At the time of registration, it will be ensured that the concerned society has ownership of 160 kanal of land situated at one place. He said a strict action will be taken against those societies which occupy land of other societies.
The Commissioner said that concrete measures will be taken to vacate government's land grabbed by the land mafia, adding if a department acquire a piece of land, its record should be checked with the Revenue Department. He directed the DCOs to take strict action against those societies which have grabbed government's land and register criminal cases against them besides vacating the public land.