ISLAMABAD: Jinnah Garden Housing Society has eaten up 200 kanals reserved for amenities parks, play grounds, schools and graveyards by carving out plots and selling them.

This was pointed out in the federal audit report 2024-25. It said Jinnah Gardens illegally converted plots/land reserved for parks, playgrounds, schools and other amenities, measuring 200 kanals worth about Rs2,000 million and sold them in violation of the CDA Ordinance 1960 and the ICT Zoning Regulations.

The development works were also taken up without obtaining a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the authority in contravention of the approved layout plan along with sale of mortgaged plots in the name of the authority.

`The Authority [CDA] neither imposed nor recovered penalty as per provision of zoning regulations for carrying out development works without obtaining NOC. This resulted in illegal conversion and sale of plots/land reserved for Parks, Playground, School and other amenities measuring 200 Kanals worth Rs. 2,000.00 million and non-recovery of penalty of Rs. 25.486million,` read the audit para.

It added: `Management [CDA] apprised that the case of Jinnah Garden is pending in the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad. DAC directed the management to provide the report, already submitted in the court, to Audit.

The report also highlighted non-recovery ofpendingfee, dues, charges,penalties worth Rs132 million from Naval Anchorage Housing Schemes. During scrutiny of record, auditors observed that the revised scrutiny fee, penalty for development without prior issuance of NOC, fee for inspection and monitoring and direct access charges from 2014 to 2023 were not paid by the sponsor of the schemes since 2014. This resulted in nonrecovery of Rs132.375 million on account of fee, penalty and charges. The nonrecovery of dues was due to weak internal and financial controls. The report said the CDA was of the view that the sponsor of the schemes approached the civic agency in September 2023 for approval of the revised and extended layout plan of Naval Anchorage Housing Scheme over 5170 kanals, and submitted the scrutiny fee amounting to Rs13.801 million. The fee for inspection and monitoring and penalty for starting development work prior to NOC and without approval of engineer designs will be obtained once the revised/extended layout plan is approved. The scheme was approved with approach/ abutting from Japan Road Zone-V on which access charges are not applicable.

During scrutiny of the record of Tele Garden Housing Scheme F-17, the audit pointed out `Illegal conversion/sale of plots and construction of residentialbuildings on the green strip of the scheme Zone-2. It noted that management of Multi Professional Co-operative Housing Society, the co-sponsor of Tele Garden Housing Scheme, Fatehjang Road in Zone-2 Islamabad illegally created residential plots on green strip of 150 feet in violation of approved LOP, NOC, and ICT Zoning Regulations. The management of the society started development and construction of residential plots on green strip of 150 feet in violation of the layout plan and NOC issued on 30.01.2008. The land under roads/ streets, parks/green area, graveyard, public buildings, including the green strip of 150 feet in the north of the scheme, was transferred to CDA, but the sanctioned mutations of the transferred land was not available in the record produced to audit.

`Audit maintains that unauthorized conversion/sale of residential plots and construction of buildings on the Green Strip of the scheme occurred due to violation of Zoning Regulations, LOP and lack of oversight mechanism.

According to the report, the CDA pleaded that the development and construction of residential plots on the green strip of 150 feet was not based on facts.

The scheme is fully developed as per the approved layout plan on 1757.65 kanals in Mouza Doora and the infrastructure is laid as per the approved engineering designs and specifications.

`DAC directed Director Audit (CDA) to visit the site and submit report. DAC further directed the management that all correspondence of CDA with Society be shared with Audit.

Another audit para pointed out non-mortgage and non-transfer of public amenities of Bahria Paradise Commercial Schemes in the name of the CDA worth Rs47,860.30 million. The audit noted that the CDA approved the layout plans of the schemes-I, II, III and IV in Zone-V measuring 250 kanals, 173.66 kanals, 226.91 kanals and 243.34 kanals on August 29, 2023. The authority approved the layout plans on 893.91 kanals, but the sponsor neither mortgaged 20pc saleable commercial areas measuring 81.20 kanals, transferred public land areas measuring 397.40 kanals in favour of CDA nor provided the bank guarantee/insurance guarantee from a AA-rating company of 10pc of the development cost of the project, as required under the Regulation for Planning and Development of Private Housing/Farm Housing, Apartments/ Commercial Schemes/Projects in Zone2, 4 & 5 framed under ICT Zoning Regulations 1992.

`This resulted in nonmortgage of 20% saleable commercial area and non-transferred of public amenities valuing Rs47,860.30 million, warranting the development of infrastructure by the sponsor of Bahria Paradise Commercial Schemes in favour of CDA.` The report said the management was of the view that due to non-fulfillment of formalities, the NOC had not been issued to the schemes-I, II, III, IV.

`DAC directed to ensure implementation of conditions of LOP regarding mortgage and transfer of public amenities land in the name of CDA and get the same verified by Audit. Compliance of DAC directives was not made. Audit recommends compliance of DAC directive.