SC ups pressure on agencies

The SC issued these directions while hearing a suo moto case on water contamination in Rawal Dam for the past year.


Zahid Gishkori August 28, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court on Friday once again directed secretary cabinet division to convene a meeting to sort out the issue of water pollution in Rawal Dam – a key source of clean water for more than 0.2 million people.

The court issued these directions while hearing a suo moto case regarding water contamination in Rawal Dam for the past year.

On the court’s directions, secretary establishment, Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Murree, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) will conduct a meeting on August 31.

The citizens living on the beds of the dam had appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take action against housing societies, poultry farms and others who were polluting the water.

A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the case.

Expressing deep concern over the performance of the Pak-EPA, the chief justice asked its DG Asif Shujja Khan to implement the Environment Protection Agency 1997.

The chief justice asked for fines and legal action to be taken against those not following environmental safety standards.

During the course of hearing, DG EPA assured the court that he would take action under the Environment Protection Order 1970 under clause 16, which empowers EPA to impose a penalty or fine on the failure to follow laws which protect the environment.

DG Environmental Protection Department (EPD) Shugufta Shahjahan informed the bench that on the court’s directions a meeting was convened on Thursday which tried to find a solution to mitigate pollution in the dam’s water.

On this point, Justice Ramday grilled Wasa officials for not taking strict measures regarding purification of water from the dam.

“Will you (Wasa representatives) drink the unhygienic water you are supplying citizens, putting their lives in danger,” Justice Ramday asked angrily during the hearing.

On this, Wasa representative Chaudhry Saeed informed the bench that they are providing pure water to the citizens after proper purification.

There are water filtration systems for purification, he said and added: “It does not come in our jurisdiction to take action against those who are polluting the lake water.”

However, the court expressed dissatisfaction with Wasa representative’s arguments and directed him to take stronger steps for the provision of purified water.

The chief justice observed that the agency failed to stop anti-environment activities on the banks of Rawal Lake and its suburbs.

He said that the agency had even failed to take action against people dumping garbage into the dam. “This garbage is injurious to health,” he said

Legal adviser CDA, Misbah Sharif informed the court that the CDA had installed various pumps for purification of water and further steps are being taken to overcome pollution.

The court then adjourned the hearing till September 3.

It is also pertinent to mention here that on Thursday city managers after holding the meeting had banned the construction of structure/settlement around the banks of streams, rivers and nullahs in the federal capital under section 144 of the criminal procedure code with immediate effect.

The decision was taken in light of the Supreme Court’s directions to abate the pollution of Rawal Lake.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2010.

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