Manchar Lake case: SC issues show-cause notice to federal finance secretary

He failed to appear in court, despite being directed to do so

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a show-cause notice to the federal finance secretary, Dr Waqar Masood Khan, over his failure to show up for the hearing of suo moto proceedings regarding the growing level of contamination in Manchar Lake - the country's largest freshwater reservoir, also famous for its floating boat houses.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, was hearing a case regarding increased pollution in the lake and the deprivation of the livelihood of fishermen in district Dadu, at the SC's Karachi Registry.

The apex court had, in the last hearing, issued notices to the secretaries of the federal finance, water and power and other departments with the direction to explain the non-availability of funds reserved by the federal government for the installation of an effluent treatment plant at the lake to control the contamination levels.

The secretaries were also directed to explain why the project had not been completed, despite the passing of two years in which the construction work has remained in its initial stage.

A deputy attorney-general informed the court that the directive could not be communicated to the secretary, who failed to appear.

The apex court's bench expressed its displeasure over the 'lack of interest' of the government in a matter that was affecting the marine life, wildlife and human population of the area.

Therefore, the bench issued a show-cause notice to the federal finance secretary with direction to personally appear in the court on the next date of the hearing with an explanation of the non-availability of the funds for the effluent plant.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2015.