‘EPA should be taken on board in civic projects’

CDA asked to address concerns of environmentalists, locals

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director General (DG) Farzana Altaf Shah on Tuesday said that the agency must be taken on board before initiating civic projects that may have an unfavourable impact on the environment.

She was addressing a public hearing organised by Pak-EPA about the Khayaban-e-Margalla Road, which is to be constructed from GT Road near Sangjani till Service Road East Sector D-12 by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The DG said that the CDA needs to address all concerns of environmentalists, local communities and residents of adjoining areas regarding the project site.

She also demanded a written reply from CDA Director Road North Rana Tariq Mehmood on the extension phases of Khayaban-e-Margalla, the National Parks limits falling under the project and traffic count to be borne by the road.

Farzana mentioned that the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation And Management) Ordinance, 1979, CDA Ordinance 1960 and Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 were guiding legislation on the matter.

"This needs to be further discussed by the authorities concerned for a sustainable conclusion," she added.

The EPA DG said that the agency has ensured conservation of nature during various development projects like Zero Point underpass and dualisation of Ataturk Avenue.

"The EPA had even withdrawn its No-Objection Certificate for the dualisation of Ataturk Avenue from D-Chowk till Margalla Road, as it considered that expansion unnecessary," she said.

Briefing the participants, CDA Director Road North Rana Tariq Mehmood informed that the total route to be constructed was 10.4km long dual carriageway with the right of way of 600 feet, and three lanes of 36 feet on either side that would be completed in 12 months.

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The total project cost as per the revised PC-I approved by the CDA was Rs3.2 billion, whereas Rs100million were earmarked for environmental management and protection, he added.

Rana mentioned that there was no other route to enter Islamabad except Srinagar Highway from the North and that Khayaban-e-Margalla would serve as an alternate route to provide smooth, congestion-free traffic flow and would reduce existing traffic burden on the Srinagar Highway.

He shared that earthwork of 6km of Khayaban-e-Margalla was completed, out of which 4.4km was remaining, whereas after a detailed study, it was found that some 75 mature trees of various native species existed on the remaining route. "All these trees will be transplanted and further plantation will be done along the route," he noted.

Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan said the proposed road was not an access route, whereas 3km of it would be passing through the Margalla Hills National Park.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2021.