Elite distorted master plan of capital: IHC CJ

Bani Gala and Shah Allah Ditta wildlife sanctuaries being destroyed by construction, says Justice Minallah

ISLAMABAD: People at the helm of power distorted the master plan of Islamabad, said Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Tuesday.

“The elite class is destroying beautifully designed master plan of the federal capital,” Justice Minallah said while hearing the case regarding condition of animals in Marghzar Zoo of Islamabad.

Bani Gala and Shah Allah Ditta being national parks were supposed to be sanctuaries for wildlife, however some very powerful people built villas and palaces there.

He remarked that mushrooming constructions in Bani Gala and Shah Allah Ditta had destroyed wildlife in the areas and asked: “Bani Gala was a shelter for animals, how did it become a hub of constructions?” He said that huge houses had been constructed on land allocated for wildlife sanctuary.

Animals in Marghzar Zoo should be released in a sanctuary if Islamabad Municipal Corporation (IMC) could not take care of them, Justice Minallah said issuing show-cause notices to IMC Director Rana Tahir, and Deputy Director Muhammad Bilal over improper upkeep of zoos. The officials were also directed to submit clarification in next hearing.

Further, the director from Ministry of Climate Change apprised the court that IMC did not earmark any funds for food of zoo animals to which Justice Minallah said that animals should be transferred to sanctuary if the corporation lacked funds.

The official added funds allocated for zoo were bifurcated into salaries and food. Whereas in the 2019-20 allocations, the government had allocated funds only for the salaries of the zoo’s staff and nothing for the food for the animals housed there, he said.

Animals might die of hunger if the contractor stopped provision of food due to nonpayment by the authorities.

The court ordered the respondents to submit answers on September 6 and adjourned the case.

In the earlier hearing, the court had summoned IMC Director zoo Rana Tahir and Deputy Director zoo Dr Muhammad Bilal in their personal capacity.

The court raised the question that why not contempt of court proceedings be initiated against these two officers. The court had directed the MoCC secretary to submit a reply in writing that why was the implementation of the court’s order of July 5 delayed.

The lawyer of the petitioner Owais Awan had told the court that IMC Director zoo Tahir and DD zoo Dr Bilal had kept the doors closed for three weeks and refused to hand over the administrative matters of the zoo to MoCC, during which time the health of the animals inside the zoo had been adversely affected.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2019.