KGS parents, students submit petition

Petition states concerns about security and traffic congestion if construction of commercial building is permitted.

KARACHI: Nearly 2,000 parents and former students of the Karachi Grammar School (KGS) signed and submitted a petition to the Environment Protection Agency on Friday.

The petition stated their concerns about security and traffic congestion if the construction of a commercial building on Plot F-8 on Khayaban-e-Saadi is permitted.

Joining the campaign against the construction is the Fifth Avenue Neighbourhood Society (FANS), which comprises 40 households near Plot F-8. While speaking to The Express Tribune, the general-secretary for FANS, Khayam Husain, said that they have not submitted a petition but they have written to the authorities to withdraw the No-Objection Certificate, if it has been provided to the builders.

FANS’ concerns are similar to those of KGS and other stakeholders. They fear lapses in security, environmental impacts, increased traffic and noise which is going to increase commercialisation, they said.

Husain said the society was unaware of the change in the zone’s status to commercial back in 2001. They only found out about this when KGS contacted them recently.

A meeting to plan a course of action will be held at KGS on October 9. This will be followed by a protest organised by the KGS students as well as parents on October 12 outside KGS college and junior sections. FANS has planned to join the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2010.