On Wednesday, a senate committee ordered Islamabad’s civic agency to cease building a road from Shah Allah Ditta that crosses the Margalla Hills National Park and connects the capital to Haripur. The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change meeting issued this instruction.
Chairwoman of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Rina Saeed Khan briefed the committee that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) initiated the project without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The chairwoman later quoted the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rulings prohibiting development in conservation areas. She alleged that CDA is building the road for real estate, not local communities and visitors.
The committee also voiced worries about the construction of a golf course on the land. The chairwoman apprised members of the National Park Boundary demarcation. She said that CDA had allocated 138 acres for the golf course, encroaching on Margalla Hills National Park.
Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman stressed the necessity for a clear boundary to stop encroachments. She also discussed her efforts to stop the construction of a road through the national park by contacting relevant officials.
IWMB officials said that despite the reservations CDA is proceeding with the road construction. The committee advised stopping illegal development immediately.
CDA officials said that work had begun on an existing route in the national park. In response to golf course concerns, CDA authorities claimed that the 138-acre area was part of the Chauntra community, not the national park.
IWMB officials disagreed with that statement. The committee received a detailed briefing on the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) golf course building near Sinyari hamlet.
Via: Dawn
CDA is only improving and resurfing the existing road from Shah Allah Ditta to Cantella and its not a new road, this is for the ill informed Senators committee on climate change and the ignorant Chairwoman on Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, who have done nothing for the wildlife here in Islamabad but has been a nuisance to development in the area and utilises the vehicles for wildlife for her domestic duties.. see how developed wildlife parks are in Europe and America, while we only talk here and do nothing…shame on our ignorance.
Can you confirm that the new road doesn’t include its widening and dualisation?
Malik Riaz has been trying to get such a road built since long to connect Islamabad directly to BT owned land across Margalla Hills.
Great effort by IWMB . Any encroachment on the National Park must be forcefully stopped.
Koi acha kam nh hony dena is mulk ma..
CDA is repairing the existing road which will help the locals and tourists to commute.
Road construction is more important than parks.don,t deprive nationals for a Park only.sherry Rahman is not residing in the area.why interrupting a road project which is beneficial for people residing in rawalpindi.road should be completed without any mafia meddling.
جب بھی کسی غریب آدمی کا بھلا ہو وہاں پر ماحولیات اور انسانی حقوق کی مافیا پہنچ جاتی ھے
There are more than 112 golf courses thrpugh out the country. Are they insufficient to quench thirst of golf lovers.Is it necessary that every prime location will be allocated to golf lovers. CDA needs to stop illegal allotment of national park and should from detiorating of Capital by quenching lust of golf lovers and builders.Environment is more important than any thing else. Keeping neat clean enivronment and wild life s the prime duty of Authority rather than distribution of Islamabad land among blue eyed persons.
Tunnels Hy bna dain