Saving the Margallas: City admin’s inaction spurs senators’ rage

ISLAMABAD: Taking care of the capital is apparently Parliament’s duty now. A Senate panel on Monday discovered the frustrating pace of bureaucratic procedures to save the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) from further damage, considering that officials should have sprung into action for fear of violating a Supreme Court order issued last year. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration’s failure to enforce the order and possible contempt of court because of continuing quarrying operations in the MHNP were brought to light during the meeting of an environment sub-committee of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, which also discussed climate change and forestry. The ICT is apparently in violation of an apex court order as it has failed to enforce the court’s ruling to ban construction and excavation activities in the national park. Senators directed ICT officials to present a written reply and explain the status of a cement factory in the national park that has continued to operate despite judicial intervention. The apex court had passed the judgment on October 25, 2013, during a suo motu hearing of the Margalla Tunnel project case. The committee was following up on its February 11 meeting at which Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials had announced they would evict stone crushers from the MHNP within 15 days. But two weeks on, it became clear that the promise was more wishful thinking than a call for action. CDA Engineering Member Sanaullah Aman, who also has the additional charge of member environment, told senators there were five quarrying units in MHNP, which fell within Islamabad’s limits. Two stone crushers moved the Islamabad High Court to retain their operations and two others have been challaned by CDA. The fifth unit — Fecto cement factory — possesses a licence issued by the ICT, but CDA has revoked its NOC, Aman said. “Since the ICT administration issued the licence, only they can cancel it. No ICT official was present at the meeting.” The committee’s convener Senator Mushahid Hussain said quarrying should have been stopped immediately after the SC order. “Any defiance or violation of the Supreme Court order of October 25, 2013, where quarrying and construction in MHNP was banned is tantamount to contempt of court and violation of law.” The Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance 1979 also prevents mining activities in MHNP. Based on CDA officials’ statements, it seems ICT has done nothing to enforce the SC order, he added. The committee directed ICT officials to explain their position at the next meeting scheduled for March 10. Senator Farhatullah Babar said ICT officials should submit a reply on the status of compliance with the apex court’s order before the next meeting. Muhammad Jamil Ahmed, director general at the Rawalpindi office of Punjab Department of Mines and Minerals, said 138 illegal and 33 legal stone crushers were operating in the Rawalpindi area of Margalla Hills. “The Punjab government stopped renewing lease agreements of stone crushers in 2005 and all leases will run out by 2015.” He said the department will evict the stone crushers but only after a presentation is given to the Punjab chief minister. CDA Estate Member Shaista Sohail said CDA, ICT and Rawalpindi district administrations have also decided to launch a crackdown on quarrying operations in the national park. Another 17 stone crushers operate in ICT outside MHNP, Aman said. “We’ll request Iesco to disconnect power supply to these stone crushers and the cement factory.” Climate Change Climate Change Secretary Hassan Abbas said the division is trying to constitute a national commission to supervise the implementation of the National Climate Change Policy, launched in February. A summary has been sent to the prime minister for approval and the commission will start working in 10-15 days. Abbas said the division is also working on a draft bill for climate change. He said the division, the four provinces and the governments of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have each proposed projects worth around Rs40 billion in the 2014-15 development budgets to combat climate change. The secretary admitted that the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency has no funds to run a vehicle-emissions monitoring mobile laboratory and the Islamabad Traffic Police issued tickets based on observation. The ITP has issued 4,258 fines for pressure horns and 135 for smoke-emitting vehicles in 2013, ITP Deputy SuperintendentLiaquat Niazi said. Niazi said 724 fines for pressure horns and 213 fines for smoke-emitting vehicles have been issued in the capital since January 1, 2014. Forests Inspector General Mahmood Nasir gave a briefing on Pakistan’s participation in the United Nations Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+) programme. Pakistan has won a $3.8 million readiness grant from World Bank and the country now has to come up with a map, which mentions the country’s forest cover and quantifies carbon content in the forests, over the next three years. Solid waste disposal site CDA officials identified H-17, near the M-2 toll plaza, as the new solid waste disposal site. CDA will conduct a feasibility study and the site would be finalised by June 30. Agency insiders told The Express Tribune Nilore was more feasible because of the future potential of H-17 as an industrial zone. 1970-1980 Quarrying activities in Margalla Hills are supervised by Department of Mines and Minerals, Government of Punjab 1980 Margalla Hills National Park area notified – the park is currently spread over 39,244 acres and has 31 village settlements with a total population of 89,000 1982 ICT Industries and Labour director issues 30-year lease to Fecto cement factory in MHNP 1991 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his first term as premier, directs all industrial activities in MHNP be stopped 1991 Fecto gets stay order from court 2011 ICT officials extends Fecto’s lease for 18 years as the 30-year lease period was set to expire in 2012 2012 CDA gives its consent to Fecto’s operation 2013 CDA withdraws its No Objection Certificate for Fecto in July 2013 While taking suo moto notice of the Margalla Tunnel project, Supreme Court bans all construction and digging in the MHNP Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2014.