LAHORE, Sept 28: The Lahore Bachao Tehreek and the Lahore Conservation Society have said the Punjab government has carried out the canal widening project in violation of the Supreme Court ruling.

Speaking to reporters at the Lahore Press Club on Friday, LCS Secretary Imrana Tiwana, society’s information secretary Dr Ajaz Anwar and Dr Saman Yazdani Khan recalled that the Supreme Court in its judgment in a suo motu case on Sept 15, 2011, declared the Lahore Canal area a ‘public trust’ and ‘Heritage Urban Park’ from Thokar Niaz Baig to Jallo Park.

The court, they said, placed strict restrictions/directions and guidelines for safeguarding the 1,500 acres of ‘Public Parkland’ in the form of green belts. The court recognised that the area had special historical, cultural and environmental significance.

They said in the last one year not only had there been non-compliance of the court order but illegal widening of the road had taken place at three points beyond Dharampura underpass.

“The Punjab government has now moved the Supreme Court in violation of the judgement to widen the entire canal road, thereby lifting all constraints on the protection and conservation of the canal area and removal of all restrictions on road widening,” they claimed.

“The LCS is deeply disturbed and shocked at this blatant violation and disregard of the Supreme Court orders. The civil society will ensure that the judgment is respected and that the Supreme Court orders are implemented in letter and spirit to safeguard the rights of the citizens of Lahore,” said a press statement.

Notice: The Lahore High Court on Friday summoned the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) chief executive officer for not removing poles installed on the land of a woman.

Naziran Bibi of Faisalabad, through her counsel, submitted that the court had directed the Fesco authorities to remove the poles illegally installed on her property, but the order had not been obeyed so far. Counsel for Fseco told the court the order had been complied with and poles had been removed from the property of the petitioner. However, petitioner’s counsel stated the order was not completely implemented as Fesco removed only one out of two poles.

After hearing both sides, Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan issued a notice to the Fesco CEO and directed him to appear in person on Oct 8.