Tourist town saved from stone crushing plant

People of the tourist spot of Bakote have welcomed the Peshawar High Court (PHC) decision to shift a stone crushing plant at least 300 metres away from the locality.

The local community was represented by Sardar Haseeb Abbasi Advocate. A construction material supplies company was setting up the stone crushing plant close to the homes and river bank, which could have destroyed the natural beauty of the town which survives on tourist traffic, locals said.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Abbottabad bench has ordered to construct Bakote Stone Crushing Plant 300 metres away from the Bakote stream and residential areas.

A two member bench, comprising Justice Shakeel Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ibrahim, heard the case filed by residents against the construction of crushing plant near residential areas terming it a violation of the environment act.

The proposed plant was scheduled to construct at the bank of the stream in front of Sangam waterfall and the residential area. However, the residents have pleaded the court that the stone crushing plant would be a clear violation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Act.

The director of Environment North Region submitted a report before the court that one side of the proposed crushing plant was near the residential areas while the other side links it with Guzara forest and Bakote stream.

Previously, the court had granted a stay order to the residents of Bakote against the construction of the stone-crushing plant. After listening to both sides, the court allowed the construction of the plant leaving 300 metres between the stream bank and the residential areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2021.