PESHAWAR, Sept 22: The proposed construction of a building for the computer science and biotechnology departments in the Botanical Garden, near Islamia College, University of Peshawar, is likely to cause immense environmental problems, besides affecting the scenic beauty of the campus, experts told Dawn.

“The works department of the University of Peshawar has marked the area for construction of the building for computer science and biotechnology departments in the heart of Botanical Garden which is environmentally not feasible”, said a local environmentalist. According to him, 50-year-old trees will be cut during excavation that would cause immense pollution at the campus.

He said that botanical gardens were international assets and according to the law of the International Association of Botanical Gardens, it was the duty of the UNO member countries to protect plants in any botanical garden located in their respective countries.

He was of the view that the erection of building in the Botanical Garden was a clear violation of international laws governing the botanical gardens.

The principal of the Islamia College, Ajmal Khan, told Dawn that the construction of the building was aimed at promotion of research activities.

Experts, however, believe that the construction of the proposed building would also deprive the students of botany from their daily practical classes and research.

The environmentalists also fear that radioactive and numerous other injurious chemical compounds will be used in biotechnology department in future which will be a permanent source of cancer at the campus.

They suggested that the biotechnology department should be built at some isolated place under strict monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

They also asked the varsity administration to shelve the plan in the larger interest of the students and the beauty of the campus.

“The buildings once demolished can be erected in months but 50-years-old and precious trees if fallen cannot be erected at any cost”, said a teacher at the same university.

Ajmal Khan said that they had planned the construction of the building, but it was yet to be approved, because of the shortage of funds. He said that efforts were afoot to arrange funds for its construction.

According to him, the college had started offering bachelor of biotechnology (BBT) and bachelor of computer technology (BCT) courses for the last two years. Both the departments needed separate building, because the college was already short of space.

He said that the University of Peshawar had also started MSc degrees in the two disciplines due to which it was necessary to construct the building to facilitate the students.

Mr Khan set aside the impression being created that Botanical Garden would be demolished and said: “The Botanical Garden would not be affected in any way, because it spreads over an area of two acres, whereas the proposed building would be built on only two kanals at one of the corners.”