Inquiry Report: CDA officials okay narrowing Nullah in E-11

Cabinet directs CDA to initiate criminal proceedings against officials involved

Ibn-e-Ameer

Cabinet has directed Capital Development Authority to institute criminal proceedings, along with disciplinary action, against the delinquent officers involved in granting permission of narrowing nullah in sector-11 Islamabad.

It had transpired during an internal inquiry that CDA had granted permission of narrowing of nullah where the floods took place.

The CDA will proceed against the officers identified in the report under the law. The permission not only stood revoked but the government would make necessary amendments.

The record further reveals that Islamabad High Court had taken up this matter and the court had granted a relief.

However, pursual of record and ground situation had created serious doubt regarding the hydrological survey and thus a new situation had arisen.

In order to streamline the urban development and provision of municipal services in Sector E-11, the interior division had submitted the following proposals/recommendations to the cabinet for approval.

It had sought approval of revoking the exemption of sector E-11 from acquisition the Advisor to the President had granted on 05-06-1968 and subsequently, the federal cabinet approved on 27-06-1968. It will help CDA to step-in in sector E-11 as per CDA Ordinance 1960 and implement its bylaws/regulations in Sector E-1

In the exempted areas of Sector E-11, it said that none would carry out any construction activity with the approval of CDA. The government may also allow CDA to implement its Building Regulations of 2020 in all areas of E-11.

CDA will carry out a Hydrological and Infrastructure study of housing schemes in E-11 and sponsors of housing schemes will bear its cost.

It will carry out a hydrological and Infrastructure study of standalone projects immediately. The projects which do not meet the criteria i.e. ROW of the access road, distance from the nullah bank, CDA will remove construction on nullah uh, etc. at the risk and cost of the sponsor.

The sponsors will bear any dislocation of plots created along nullah banks by encroaching Right of Way of nulla in housing schemes on the risk and cost of the management of the society

CDA will carry out an urban Regeneration Study of Sector E-12 according to the Interim Report on Review of the Master Plan of Islamabad. The sponsors of the schemes/standalone projects will bear its cost.

The government may apply the Zoning Regulations of Zone 1 and sponsors will bear all expenses.

There was no enforcement and recovery mechanism in CDA Ordinance. Moreover, recovery as arrears of land revenue would be cumbersome in this context.

The Interior ministry proposed these measures to complete. It further recommended referring an extraordinary measure to ICT Administration and SECP.

The sponsoring division requested the cabinet for consideration.

During the discussion, the members opined that the proposal to withdraw exemption of sector E-11 from acquisition granted with the approval of the Federal Cabinet was not required as just extending the Zoning Regulations of Zone 1 would achieve the purpose.

Chairman CDA informed that a larger regulatory framework was being developed, which would be ready in a month’s time, to regulate areas in the ICT outside the purview of CDA.

The Prime Minister was directed to finalize the framework within two weeks. The members also stressed or the need to institute criminal proceedings, along with disciplinary action, against the delinquent officers.

The Cabinet considered the summary titled ‘Resolution of the issues of Sector E-11, Islamabad’ submitted by the Interior Division, and approved the proposals except for the revocation of exemption of sector E-11 from acquisition granted by the Advisor to the President on 05-06-1968 and subsequently approved by the Federal cabinet on 27-06-1968.

It further directed CDA to institute criminal proceedings, along with disciplinary action, against the delinquent officers.

The Cabinet also directed Chairman CDA to finalize the uniform regulatory framework which shall also include the warden system, to regulate the areas in the ICT outside the purview of CDA, within two weeks.

The Cabinet directed Interior Division to take up the matter with the Government of Punjab to extend the emergency response service 1122 to ICT as well.