Lethal water: Clean Rawal dam or go to jail, SC rebukes officials

Court says not enough done to protect environment; govt officials admit court’s criticism.


Azam Khan June 06, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The Supreme Court reprimanded the Punjab government on Tuesday for not taking appropriate measures to clean up Rawal lake, the primary source of drinking water for Rawalpindi city. The fact that the hearing took place on World Environment Day only underlined the court’s views.


A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, with Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain questioned the Punjab government’s failure to address environmental issues throughout the province.

“Give a three-line certificate that Rawal Dam’s water is not lethal for the residents of Rawalpindi city,” Chief Justice Chaudhry reprimanded the Punjab and federal government officials, adding that “if the water is still dangerous, all the officials may be put behind bars.”

On hearing this Additional Cabinet Secretary Shahidullah Beg replied that maximum efforts were underway but 100 per cent results could not be achieved. Justice Chaudhry who was hearing a suo motu case on Rawal Dam pollution, replied, “If you could give us a 90 per cent assurance that the water is safe for daily use, we will accept it.”

But Beg and other officials were not in a position to take benefit from the offer of the Supreme Court. At this, the CJP ordered that it was the executive’s task not the court’s and disposed of the suo motu action.

Chief Justice Chaudhry observed that not a single official of the provincial government ever visited the Rawal Lake to examine the ground realities.

The CJP ordered the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) director general (DG) to visit Rawal Dam regularly and submit reports to the Supreme Court registrar to keep the court updated about the measures being taken to address the issue.

“It is incomprehensible how you first force people to drink toxic water, and when they die, you raise hue and cry,” the chief justice scolded the Punjab government officials.

Beg said in compliance with the court orders, a meeting was convened that was attended by Punjab government, Islamabad administration and Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials to improve the situation.

“There is no use of such meetings if officials come and claim their allowances but produce no results,” Justice Khwaja remarked.

Describing the sorry state of affairs in Punjab, the judge observed that Ravi has “turned into a gutter”, while Kallar Kahar lake is also polluted.

The judge said that throughout the province, there was no mechanism to keep hospitals clean and properly dispose of hazardous medical waste.

“Privatise the environment sector if you are not capable of running its affairs,” the judge advised the provincial government.

Punjab Additional Advocate-General Jawwad Hassan admitted the failure of the provincial government but informed the court that it was taking steps to address the situation including setting up of an environmental tribunal that had started working in Lahore.

He informed the court that the tribunal is currently hearing 12 cases. However, EPA chief Asif Shuja informed the court that his organisation has referred 123 cases to the tribunal, while 2,200 more cases that were under the environment ministry have yet to be transferred.

Justice Hussain noted there are nine divisions in Punjab and asked how it was possible for the average person to go to Lahore to register their complaints.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2012.

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