CHITRAL, Nov 10: The provincial government should prepare Chitral-specific land use and building regulations, as the sub-sector of physical planning and housing remains the most neglected sector of all here, posing a major threat to the future development plans in Chitral town.

According to a study conducted by Chitral Conservation Strategy, a project of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the unregulated land development in Chitral has resulted in unplanned construction and unhygienic living conditions besides haphazard settlements.

Among the reasons for this uncontrolled land develop-ment, the study cites failure of the government organisations and local municipal bodies to prepare a land use master plan and implement urban laws.

`To make matters worse, many government departments have also occupied pieces of flat land for their offices, facilities and employees housing,` according to the study.

It said that developed in a horizontal pattern, such constructions have further limited the availability of flat land for local population.

Recommending a strategy to rationalise land use, the study suggests that new construction in the district should follow a strict scrutiny and approval process by the government.-Correspondent