Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while heading a three-member bench comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Kahlil-ur-Rehman Ramday also directed Secretary Cabinet to submit a report on the issue by October 1 and adjourned the hearing of the suo motto case.
Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday added, “No body cares that five million gallons of contamination is being dropped in Rawal Lake per day. The authorities are senseless and making a mockery of the residents of the city.”
Secretary Cabinet Division Chaudhry Abdur Rauf informed the bench that following the directions of the Supreme Court, he had held a meeting on August 31st and submitted a report on the issue.
Rauf also told the court that the area under contention falls under Zone Four where the government had imposed strict restrictions on construction work in light of environmental concerns.
But expressing displeasure over continued construction work in the area, the chief justice demanded that it be stopped and remarked, “Rich men construct their bungalows and then contaminated drinking water is supplied to the poor.”
He also added that the Punjab government should have been more vigorous on the issue.
Director General Environment Punjab Shugefta Jahan said that notices had been served to sixteen housing societies whose cases are being heard by a tribunal under the Environment Act 97. “They were stopped from draining the contaminated water in Rawal Lake, but they violated the rules.”
She also informed the bench that 575 cases had been registered under the environment act, but because of the retirement of one of the tribunal member, the hearing of the cases was not taking place.
When secretary cabinet informed the bench that secretary Punjab had also
been taken on board on the issue, Chief Justice expressed displeasure at the summary sent by secretary Punjab for being similar to the one sent by the Water and Sanitation Agency. “Not even a full stop has been changed in it,” he said.
Secretary cabinet assured the bench that order of environmental protection would be strictly implemented and steps would be taken on a long term basis.
He also assured the bench that he would discuss the matter of appointment of a tribunal member on an urgent basis for hearing of the cases of the housing societies with the secretary Punjab. After September 17, the cases would be heard on a daily basis and a report would be submitted to the registrar office of the supreme court.
“Every officer should go in the field and not sit in their offices till the solution of the problem,” Justice Ramday directed. The hearing was adjourned till October 1.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2010.
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