Environmental concerns: Signal-free corridor plea referred for larger bench

Stay order against construction extended.

LAHORE: A petition seeking directives against the construction of a signal-free corridor in the city was on Friday referred to Lahore High Court chief justice for constitution of a larger bench for hearing.

A stay order against the construction of the signal-free corridor between Qurtaba Chowk on Jail Road and Liberty Roundabout on Gulberg’s Main Boulevard was till March 26.

Saad Amir, counsel for petitioner Fahad Malik, also objected to Lahore Development Authority’s autonomous operations.

He said the LDA was meant to be a subordinate body of the city government and not its replacement.

In an earlier hearing, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had directed the provincial government to suspend construction work till a decision was reached on the petition. He had also asked the contractor to remove all machinery from the site.

Petitioner Malik had said project started without a public hearing over its impact on the environment. He had requested the court to declare the project illegal and unconstitutional.

PEF’s reply sought

The LHC on Friday sought a reply from the Schools Education Department secretary in a petition challenging the constitution of the Punjab Education Foundation board of directors.

The petitioner submitted that most of the BoD members were appointed in violation of PEF rules and regulations. He requested the court to issue directives for the PEF to annul the existing board and make appointments for a new BoD. The court will resume hearing on March 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2015.