December 20, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 9, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 19: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Lahore Bachao Tehrik and Darakht Bachao Committee have pointed out flaws in the Nespak Environment Impact Assessment report on Remodelling of Canal Bank Road from Thokar Niaz Beg to Dharampura.

A WWF spokesman said the flaws had been noticed during a rapid-assessment research conducted by the scientific committee of the fund.

The spokesman said the fund research had revealed that total vegetation on the canal bank comprised 6,557 shrubs and 14,831 trees, whereas the total number of mature trees on both green belts was 10,128.

But, according to a Nespak report, only 1,850 mature trees would be cut due to the proposed road widening, he said and added whereas the study conducted by the WWF found that 5,299 mature trees would have to be cut to implement the project, requiring 18-foot widening of the road on both sides of green belts.

The spokesman said small mammals such as small Indian mongoose and palm squirrel, insects like centipedes, earthworms, dragonfly, different types of butterflies such as peacock pensy and honeybees and amphibians such as Indus Valley Bullfrog, common frog, toads, besides reptiles like monitor lizards and geckos and some rare species of birds such as grey hornbill and yellow-footed green pigeon were also under serious threat due to destruction of their habitat.

The spokesman said besides causing all the ecological damage, the project would have serious impact on the health, aesthetic and socio-economic conditions of the residents and vendors of the area.

According to a survey, 95 per cent of the residents were against the cutting of trees. On inquiring, 30 per cent of them replied that there would be an ecological loss, 28 per cent feared loss of natural beauty and 10 per cent loss of protective function of the vegetation.

As per recommendations of the study, encroachments occupying the roadsides should be removed in order to facilitate smooth traffic flow.

He said an intra city high volume bus service might also be introduced to reduce traffic load on the road, besides identification of alternate routes for diverting the traffic. Tepa should get technical assistance of experts for sustainable development for such projects, the spokesman concluded.