‘CDA violated law on bypass project’

Pak-EPA report says civic body fined Rs1 million for flouting rules and regulations

ISLAMABAD:

In a startling revelation, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) on Monday told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) violated rules and regulations to carry out the Bhara Kahu bypass project.

As IHC judge Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb resumed hearing on identical petitions of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) professor and other citizens challenging the bypass project, an official of the Pak-EPA submitted a report to the court stating that a fine of Rs1 million has been imposed on the CDA for violating the rules and regulations.

The Pak-EPA official told the court that the CDA has not yet paid the fine amount and the civic agency will only be allowed to carry out work on the project when it paid the sum.

When the Pak-EPA told the court that the CDA has conditionally been allowed to continue work on the bypass project, the court expressed annoyance and said that “there is no concept of conditional approval in the law and there is only approval.”

After the hearing, the court extended the stay, halting the construction work on a portion of the Bhara Kahu bypass project on the land of the Quaid-e-Azam University.

The court summoned the Pak-EPA Director-General at the next hearing and adjourned the hearing till November 25.

Earlier, during the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyer Kashif Malik, Quaid-e-Azam University lawyer Nauman Paracha, CDA lawyer Nazir Jawad, Additional Attorney General, Munawar Iqbal Dogal and others appeared in the court.

The Additional Attorney General told the court that a meeting of the representatives of the QAU university and CDA was held on November 13 to resolve the matter.

The counsel for the petitioners told the court that the CDA was violating the stay by continuing to carry out work on the bypass project.

Earlier, the public hearing of the environment impact assessment (EIA) of the Bhara Kahu bypass project conducted by the Pak-EPA was marred by a rumpus as local residents, faculty and students of the Quaid-i-Azam University expressed their outrage against the civic agency for starting work on the project without following codal formalities.

During the question-and-answer session, the QAU teachers, students and local residents raised their serious concerns against the project and lambasted the CDA for initiating the project without following codal formalities.

They said that the CDA started the project without carrying out the EIA and its approval from the Pak-EPA whereas it also broke the QAU security walls and felled trees without any permission.

The locals said that around 40 families were living next to the project site and none of them were consulted by the CDA.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court has issued a written order on a petition challenging the appointment of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad Vice-Chancellor Dr Nadeemul Haq.

In a written order issued by the court of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, the court has issued a pre-admission notice to the parties for January 26. the has also issued a notice on the injunction application to stop Dr Nadeemul Haq from working as a vice-chancellor.

The court has stated that, according to the petitioner, the age limit for the appointment of the vice chancellor for three years is 65 years. The appointment of Dr Nadeemul Haq has been made in violation of the rules.

According to the petitioner's counsel, a person above 65 years of age cannot be appointed as the vice-chancellor and Dr Nadeemul Haq was not eligible for the post at the time of his appointment.

Citizen Uzair Salik has challenged the appointment of PID Vice-Chancellor Dr Nadeemul Haq.

The PIDE Islamabad is a research and teaching institution under the administrative control of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms.

Under Section 3 of the PIDE Act, 2010, the status of PIDE is an autonomous body functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and also has the status of a corporate body.

Compliance with government rules, regulations and policies is an integral part of PIDE's body structure.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2022.