KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Monday that a fresh 'environmental impact assessment (EIA)' of the two proposed nuclear plants in Karachi be carried out according to the law.
The test will be carried out in accordance with Section 17 of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) Act, 2014, read with Pakistan Environmental and EIA Regulations, 2014. Headed by SHC Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench ordered that fresh EIA must be carried out within three months. Until then, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was restrained from commencing work on the proposed plants.
The order came on a petition filed by a group of four citizens - filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, physicists Dr Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy and Dr Abdul Hameed Nayyar, and architect Arif Belgaumi. They had challenged the construction of the two plants as they claimed it was not complying with the environmental laws.
On Monday, the two judges disposed of the petition after hearing arguments from Advocate Abdul Sattar Pirzada and Qazi Athar for the petitioners and Advocate Anwar Mansoor Khan for PAEC.
The two judges ordered that the new assessment report must be filed and reviewed by Sepa in accordance with the provisions of Section 17 of the Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014, read with the Pakistan Environmental and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014.
The bench ordered that public notices for the review of the EIA should also be issued in accordance with the provisions of Regulations 2014. They said the proposed review shall strictly be in consonance with SEPA Act 2014 and Regulations 2014.
The bench turned down the request to allow commencement of work on the proposed nuclear plants. It only allowed the proponents of the project (Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Pakistan Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority) to commence the excavation for the purpose of civil works and may thereafter proceed to erect the steel bars cage and to lay lean concrete.
"However, till the approval of Sepa, nothing more than as prescribed above shall be done by the proponents towards the construction or erection or building of the subject project," ordered the bench.
It also directed Sepa to proceed in the matter strictly in accordance with law and to conclude the entire exercise as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months from Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2014.
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Pakistan’s energy demand had grown at an annual consumption growth rate of 4.8 percent in the past five years, but now it is expected to grow at 8 to 10 percent per annum. There is need for a high and sustained growth in energy supply and infrastructure capacity of 7 to 8 percent per annum to support the steady growth in the state’s GDP. Installation of nuclear power plants in Karachi is one good step to eliminate massive power cuts. Nuclear energy is a viable option and more importantly PAEC has over the 40 years of experience in nuclear energy.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday disposed off the petition against the construction of two nuclear power plants in Karachi. It is commendable decision as Nuclear energy facilities are able to produce abundant and affordable energy, leading to a low and stable price of electricity for consumers. Electricity produced at the nuclear facilities is one of the most affordable forms of energy from the major sources of electricity.
Construction of nuclear power plants in Karachi is nothing a new thing for the nuclear establishment of Pakistan. As the country holds a wide experience, intellectuals, and professional expertise in its nuclear establishment for more than 40 years. Then why for a group of people it has become a noose around their necks. This is a propaganda in the way for making the country progressed economically and also for making it suffice in fulfilling its rising energy demands.