ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has yet to cancel lease agreements with five private companies for land at Lake View Park, despite the lapse of the 30-day notice period for the termination of the lease.

The CDA had issued least cancellation notices to the firms on March 9, but has not taken further action in this regard.

According to Director Environment Irfan Niazi, action will be taken after CDA Chairman Usman Akhtar Bajwa returns from leave, probably on April 28.

30-day notice period for termination of leases has expired since authority issued cancellation notices to firms on March 9

Mr Niazi added that the chairman would visit the sites of the lease agreements and they would be cancelled after a final round of inspections.

Last month, the CDA submitted a report to the Supreme Court stating that five firms had been issued cancellation notices. The report said that of 11 land leases, five “deserved to be cancelled immediately for clear violations of the terms and conditions and misuse of the land”.

One additional lease, to Falcon Enterprises, has already been cancelled and the site has been taken over by the CDA, the report said.

Of the six remaining leases, the report said four had been issued notices to take corrective measures within a month.

Extreme Thrill, operating under the name F-I Traxx, and 2F2F Formula Go Karting were determined to be operating up to standards and the continuation of their leases has been recommended.

Revive Foundation (Ibex Club), M/s Rock, Trendy Amusement BMX Cycling and ABS Progressive Jinnah Golf Range have been issued notices to take corrective measures within a month, failing which, their leases will be cancelled.

“As for as the other five leases are concerned, a few of them have completely failed to show any substantial development and standards at the site. Some of them have established various facilities in violation of the approved plan besides subletting the leases,” the report said. Cancellation notices have been issued to Battefield, Horse and Horseman, Development Aids, Fun and Joy and ESP Initiative.

Of the 79.6 acres leased, 41.2 are being retrieved after the cancellation of the leases, the report said.

It had explained that the concept behind the scheme was meant for environment-friendly activities within minimal construction.

“However, some of the leaseholders misused the space by cluttering with khokhas and substandard playing gadgets and typical mela kind of swings/rides damaging the environment of the entire zone. Contradictory to the basic concept of the entertainment zone, some have subleased the project in an unauthorised manner or kept it at a very substandard level with no investment, upkeep or outlook despite passage of almost 11 years,” it said.

Mr Niazi said five private companies that had not been utilising land properly had been issued notices last month.

“I think we issued notices on March 9,” the director environment said, and confirmed to Dawn that the notice period had lapsed.

Former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari, the man behind the leases of land at Lake View Park, was surprised to see the misuse and non-utilisation of land last month during a Supreme Court-mandated visit to the park to check the status of the land.

Speaking to Dawn after the visit, Mr Lashari had said the idea behind the leases at nominal rates was to provide unique facilities such as open play fields with rock climbing, ice skating, dirt bike tracks, horse riding and so on.

“Around 50pc of leaseholders have not followed the terms and conditions,” he had said.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2018