BY AHSAN JAMIL


The Islamabad Signal Free Expressway project work


has been started by Capital Development Authority (CDA) without fulfilling


requisite procedural requirements and submission of Environmental Impact


Assessment (EIA) report to Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA).


The civic agency is believed to have violated Section 12 of the Pakistan


Environmental Protection Act-1997 (PEPA-1997).


Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Federal Minister for Climate Change has showed


serious concerns and reservations over the alleged infringement by CDA and has


directed Pak-EPA to strictly ensure the compliance of environmental law and take


stern action against the violators. The Minister also urged all the departments to


obey the environmental protocols because Pakistan cannot afford slack approach


towards environment as it is in the list of top 10 most vulnerable countries exposed


to the risk of climate change phenomenon and its impacts are already showing as a


result of unexpected flooding, drought etc.


“No project can be termed as sustainable if trees and environmental degradation is


likely to happen due to it. All public/private organizations are legally bound to


obtain EIA report and get mandatory approvals from Pak-EPA before starting any


project”, he added.

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