Environment watchdog issues directive for new campus of Hamdard University. PHOTO: FILE
The Hamdard University (HDU) intends to construct their new campus at Mouza Mohra Noor and Mohrian, Kurri Road, Zone-IV, Islamabad.
The Hamdard Foundation, the proponent of the project submitted an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report says that present campus of Hamdard University does not accommodate the large number of students; therefore, there is a need to build a new campus to fulfil the demand of increasing number of students.
The Pak-EPA conducted public hearing of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted by the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan on Thursday.Pak-EPA Director General Farzana Altaf Shah while chairing the EIA public hearing meeting at EPA Headquarters which was largely attended by students of HDU and not much questions were raised during the EIA report examination publically nor the EIA report covers whole issue regarding environmental degradation and disturbance to local ecology of the area.
DG Shah further suggested to Hamdard Foundation to strictly follow environmental rules regarding use of non-degradable plastic during the construction phase.
The report further says that at present the current strength of students at Hamdard University is 1,100 to 1,200 and new campus will facilitate 5,000 to 6,000 students. The university will include an animal house, herbarium, reverse osmosis plant, green conservation strategies, green theme and seed bank inside the new campus premises. The project has been proposed on a land measuring 11 acres and 4.5 kanals.
The infrastructure development works of HDU campus project includes provision of academic blocks, multipurpose block, library, auditorium, faculty and staff cafeteria, bank, admin office, animal house facility, parking area and play area for students.
The project will provide undergraduate, graduate and post graduate educational facilities. The estimated cost of the HDU project is Rs1.25 billion and would be completed in two years. The land for HDU has already been acquired by the foundation.
The EIA report says that area around the project site is an agriculture land therefore a diversity of different tree species is found in the project area.
Report says that during construction 28 trees would be cut of which 25 are eucalyptus trees and three are paper mulberry and no endemic or rare species exit in the project area. The EIA report says that project likely to cause environmental impacts during its construction phase.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2017.
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