Polluting the water: Boating in Rawal Lake continues unchecked

An EPA official says illegal activity major source of pollution

ISLAMABAD: Boating in Rawal Lake, which has been declared illegal due to its polluting effect continues unchecked.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) responsible to control the illegal activity seems helpless.

The activity is causing pollution in the dam.

Boating in the lake usually takes place without use of life jackets and safety measures are generally ignored, which is putting the lives of the visitors at risk.

The boats used for rowing in the lake are in an extremely terrible condition. Majority of the boat operators are inexperienced and underage, Pervaiz Malik a visitor told APP.

He said that there were about 150 boats in the lake being operated without life jackets and the condition of boats was also poor. The CDA and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration have apparently turned a blind eye to the illegal activity.

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official said that the boats were a major source of pollution in the lake, and criticised the capital administration for not enforcing the ban.

The CDA (Environment) Member, Sanaullah Aman, when contacted, refused to comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th,  2016.