IHC gives CDA 10 days to implement land agreement

Aviary claims to be third largest in the world

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday gave ten days to Capital Development Authority (CDA) to implement the agreement regarding the construction of an aviary in premises of Lake View Park.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of IHC heard a contempt of court plea against CDA for not complying with the court orders to implement the land agreement for the bird sanctuary.

CDA member environment and member administration appeared before the court on behalf of the civic body.

During the course of proceeding, the petitioner Ahmed Awais’s counsel argued that the CDA had signed an agreement to give 7.5 acre land for aviary, but the body handed over only four acres in violation of agreement.

He said precious birds worth millions of rupees were imported from various counties for the aviary to provide better recreational facilities to citizens. He said a number of expensive birds had died due to congested place.

The CDA was not giving more land for the aviary despite of court orders in this regard, he said.

However, CDA member environment informed the court that the remaining three acre land would be handed over for the project soon.

After hearing the arguments from both sides at large, the court directed CDA to hand over the remaining three acre land for bird aviary within ten days and submit report with the bench in this regard.

Spread over 3.8 acres in the heart of Lakeview Park, the aviary, with its over 4,000 birds from around 280 species, is the main attraction for visitors to the park.

The aviary, which claims to be the third largest in the world, holds pigeons, doves, pheasants, peacocks, swans, geese, ducks, ostriches, cranes, crown cranes and parrots. The green-winged macaw and white cockatoo are crowd favourites.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2018.