LAHORE: The ongoing sifting of the record of land/property files in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has opened a new window of malpractices, leaving people with no option but to pay `speed money` to get various objections cleared by the officials concerned.

One of the common objections being raised surprisingly on various applications is the `mutation yet to be done in favour of LDA`-a work that was supposed to be done by LDA at the time of acquiring land for the housing schemes, Allama Iqbal Town, Gujjarpura, Garden Town, Johar Town, Sabzazar, developed decades ago, Dawn has learned reliably.

`In the name of sifting of propertyfiles-a core component of the ongoing reforms in the LDA-the people are being fleeced in various ways. The common and major objection being raised on various applications is the `Mutation of the land not done in LDA favour`. For this, the applicants are referred by the LDA`s land acquisition section in the sifting directorate to the patwari (revenue official/land record custodian in respective circle) where the mutation report is prepared after paying handsome amount (Rs200,000 to Rs300,000) on each application,` says an official source in LDA.

`I wonder why the work that was supposed to be done by the LDA is being done by the applicants visiting the LDA for issuance of no objection certificates (NOCs), building period extension, property transfer etc,` the official, who wished not to be quoted, deplores.

`There are over 2,000 applications to which such an objection has been raised by the officers working on sifting-related issues,` he adds.

It is pertinent to mention that there are160,000 residential plots/properties-most of them of the residential nature-in the LDA-owned housing schemes, including Faisal Town, Garden Town, Johar Town, Iqbal Town, Sabzazar, Mustafa Town, UpperMallScheme,Shadman,Gujjarpura (China Scheme), Gulshan-i-Ravi, Samanabad, Model Town (Extension), Township, Muslim Town and Green Town.

Though the sifting of the files has been underway for the last five years or so, the work geared up last year for digitisation all record in a bid to end various issues related to properties faced by the people.

In recent months, the LDA administration divided sifting in two parts-one related to Johar town and Sabzazar schemes undertaken by the sifting directorate working under the IT wing. This section is supposed to sift all files (Johar Town and Sabzazar) by having all reports related to land acquisition, possession and clearance of dues. The sifting of the record related to other schemes, except the LAC (Land Acquisition Collector) report, was assigned to the respectivehousing schemes` directorates.

`The sifting directorate has a team to sift files but the schemes` directorates don`t have adequate staffers for that, reveals another official source.

To a question, he said the schemes related to which the objections were being raised included Iqbal Town, Gulshan-i-Ravi, Gujjarpura, Johar Town, Garden Town and Sabzazar.

LDA Director (IT/Computer Services) Abdul Basit admitted the fact related to the objection, `mutation of land not done in favour of LDA,` saying that such issues mostly existed in Allama Iqbal Town and Gujjarpura schemes.

`In a recent meeting, this issue was discussed in depth and then it was decided to devise a mechanism to end this problem once and for all. There is no issue in other schemes, including Johar town and Sabzazar,` he claimed, adding that a small chunk of around 600/700 kanal land of Johar Town was yet to be transferred in the name of the LDA due to litigation and other issues.