Monal Restaurant Sealed for Illegal Damage to the Environment

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency Islamabad and Chief Commissioner Office Islamabad on Tuesday sealed off the popular Monal Restaurant located in Margalla Hills for illegal tree cutting for its expansive construction activities.

The Climate Change Ministry’s Media focal person, Muhammad Saleem, told media that it was brought to the notice of the Prime Minister’s Advisor Malik Amin Aslam that illegal construction activities for expansion of the Monal restaurant were going on for a few days and initiated by the management of the restaurant, which led to a significant loss of tree cover and land degradation in its vicinity.

“Taking serious notice of the illegal construction activities and tre cutting, the advisor Malik Amin Aslam on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency Islamabad (Pak-EPA Islamabad) to take legal action against the culprits,” he told media.

This atrocity in #MHNP has been stopped and some culprits arrested by #ICT. Further details soon… pic.twitter.com/sP62Vyjq1u

— Malik Amin Aslam (@aminattock) May 19, 2020

Resultantly, the District Administration conducted the raid on 18th May’s evening and it was observed that images of destruction activities appeared in social media were authentic.

During the raid, two persons were arrested on the spot and FIR NO 224/20 has also been lodged in Police Station Kohsar, F/7, Islamabad, the media focal person added.

He further said that simultaneously, a case was fixed in the larger Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding the stone crusher and protection of the MHNP. The matter has also been discussed by the Honorable Court and order is being issued including the immediate stoppage of the all construction activities in the MHNP extended in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including all types of hotels, rental residential construction. However, the order copy is awaited.

Update – 1. The degraded area of #MHNP under #Monal will be totally rehabilitated and re-forested and I will initiate the plan tomorrow on site 2. The #FIR is attached and culprits will be taken to task 3. #MHNP is a national resource which shall be protected at all costs IA pic.twitter.com/pQ0TFoOIW9

— Malik Amin Aslam (@aminattock) May 19, 2020

 

It is pertinent to mention that Pak-EPA also took action about these restaurants in MHNP as all have been constructed without any environmental approval and are causing damages to eco-system and increasing pollution in the vicinity.

He informed that the prime minister’s advisor Malik Amin Aslam along with the climate change ministry’s high officials will visit the damaged site and take stock of the damage caused to the land and trees.

The ministry’s media focal person also added that tree plantation activities will also be carried out by him in support with the local forest officials at the damaged site for its rehabilitation.

Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) falls under the jurisdiction of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and also extended into Khyberpakhtunkha and Punjab as per notification of April 1978. Few parts of the said MHNP are also located in Shakarparian and Rawal Lake area within ICT.

The MHNP has been declared as a protected National Park and no major construction activity causing damage to the environment, ecosystem and flora & fauna of MHNP is allowed.

In 2005, a restaurant named Monal was allowed construction by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Later on, few other restaurants including Lamontana, Gloria Jeans, Whispering Pines (located in KPK) and some other recreational spots were constructed in the MHNP in KPK area as well.

Later, Pak-EPA Islamabad and the Chief Commissioner Islamabad office moved together and sealed off the Monal restaurant and lodged FIR against the culprits at the Islamabad Secretariat Police Station, the media focal person Muhammad Saleem said further.