Controversial project: Pak-EPA issues NOC for construction of grid station in F-9 Park

The move comes at a time when the authority is working under an acting head

ISLAMABAD: In absence of a permanent head, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has issued a no objection certificate (NOC) to Islamabad Electric Supply Corporation (IESCO) for the construction of a grid station in the land of Public Park in violation of Supreme Court’s decision.

Earlier, in January 2015, Pak-EPA had barred Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) from constructing a grid station in F-9 Park, arguing that CDA cannot allot a park land without ‘de-notifying’ the land from the park area. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its order, too has confirmed that public park land cannot be used for other purposes.

At a juncture of time when the environmental watchdog struggles to carry out its routine environmental monitoring and other day-to-day affairs in absence of a DG, CDA has found the opportunity to make a nexus with some corrupt officials of Pak-EPA and Ministry of Climate Change to embark on its unpopular plan of construction of a grid station in the F-9 Park. The civic authority claims that the entire land in F-9 Park is not allocated for the park area.

“CDA has clarified that the entire land inside F-9 Park is not included in the park area and portion of land where gird station would be constructed will not affect other park activities,” Pak-EPA Director, EIA Ziaul Islam told The Express Tribune, adding that development activities cannot be stopped due to non-appointment of DG in the EPA.

Ministry of Climate DG Environment Irfan Tariq, who has been recently given the additional charge of DG Pak-EPA said that according to CDA, the piece of land where the grid station has been planned to be build is not part of the park and construction of gird station was part of the initial master plan approved for the park.

In response to a question of how an NOC was issued in absence of a permanent DG in Pak-EPA, he said that it had been decided that once a DG was appointed he would formally approve the NOC. He further stated that there was no need to de-notify the park land for construction of gird station.

In January, 2015, IESCO had started initial construction work at the F-9 Park without following the rules and getting an NOC from Pak-EPA, raising concerns among the residents of the capital.

Former DG Pak-EPA Dr Khurshid Khan upon complains had summoned the IESCO officials for personal hearing on gross violation of environmental rules by initiating construction work on grid station in F-9 Park illegally and without obtaining a NOC from the environment-regulating body.

The EPA Director General (DG) Dr Khurshid Khan had personally visited the site where construction work was being carried out by IESCO in violation of the warnings issued by EPA and a Supreme Court verdict. The environmental watchdog, at that time, had told CDA and IESCO to stop building the grid station in the park.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2016.