Better late than never: CDA pledges to preserve capital’s biodiversity

Civic agency’s chairman signs declaration banning the future use of plastic bags.

ISLAMABAD:

While all and sundry were busy celebrating World Environment Day 2013 on Wednesday, June 5, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) decided to join in on the party a day late.

CDA Chairman Tahir Shahbaz and other senior civic agency officers on Thursday held a ceremony at the Margalla Hills National Park’s (MHNP) Trail 5 to commemorate the day, during which a declaration barring the future use of plastic bags to mitigate environmental damage was signed.

MHNP is spread over an area of 31,142 acres and is replete with 616 plant, 250 bird, 38 mammal and 13 reptile species.

“The CDA is taking concrete measures in collaboration with partner organisations to preserve the MNHP’s rich biodiversity, including its flora and fauna. There are very few capital cities in the world that are blessed with such close proximity to nature as Islamabad is,” said Shahbaz.

The civic agency was focused on planting indigenous species, particularly fruit and flowering trees including Chir, Pine, Kachnar, Amaltas, Dhreak, Jacaranda, Olive and Jaman, he said, adding that the planted saplings’ growth would be strictly monitored to ensure their survival to the maximum survival.



CDA Environment Member Ahsan Ali Mangi said that the civic agency actively participates in yearly national tree plantation drives during the spring season.

Mangi added that the general public, educational institutions, NGOs, government employees, traders, environmentalists, ICT administration representatives and the Islamabad Police are also invited to help make these campaigns a success.

Shahbaz said that natural streams and ravines, which were the best source of clean water in the capital, had been polluted by sewerage lines with the passage of time.

Such issues could be avoided by educating the masses about cleanliness and ensuring the strict implementation of municipal bylaws, which he said were the objectives of the CDA’s Clean and Green Islamabad campaign.

The ceremony’s participants were provided with cloth bags for shopping and were also lectured on plastic bags’ harmful effects on the environment.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2013.