Shakarparian cricket stadium opposed by environment body

The site falls within the jurisdiction of Margalla Hills National Park

ISLAMABAD: The National Council for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW) has opposed the construction of a cricket stadium in Shakarparian.

The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) had sought from the council the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the project before giving permission to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for construction of the stadium.

In its reply, the council, a wing of the climate change ministry, responsible for the conservation and sustainable development of indigenous flora and fauna, habitats including wetlands, national parks and other protected areas, concluded that the proposed site of Islamabad cricket stadium fell within the jurisdiction of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).

It said that permission for construction of the stadium would be a sheer violation of the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Ordinance 1979 as well as violation of the city’s master plan.

Environmentalists as well as International Cricket Council (ICC)’s former president, Ehsan Mani has termed the project catastrophic for the environment of the federal capital.

They have also declared it economically unviable.

The capital’s civic agency and the PCB signed a memorandum of understanding in 2012 under which the CDA allotted 35 acres of land near Shakarparian for the construction of the stadium.

The project was supposed to be completed within a year, with 30 per cent of income from international matches and sponsorships to be given to the CDA, while remaining 70 per cent to go to the cricket board.

The project was abandoned due to PCB’s financial woes.

Last month, the PCB took up the project once more and applied for NOC from the Pak-EPA to execute the project.

In addition, to the proposed 50,000 seat stadium, a cricket academy, a five-star hotel, and other related facilities were part of the project in the forest area.

The stadium would be constructed in three years at a cost of Rs2 billion, according to initial estimates.

According to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, the project will cause environmental degradation in the form of loss of 450 to 500 fully grown trees, while vegetation and shrubs on 15 acres will be affected.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2016.