ISLAMABAD: After being censured by the apex court, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has asked the government for Rangers’ deployment in the Margalla Hills National Park during its campaign to remove illegal constructions from the national park in zone-III.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised the CDA for its failure to protect the Margalla Hills from illegal construction and the cutting of trees in the area during a hearing of a suo moto case regarding construction in the national park.

A two member bench consisting of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah heard the case.

The court criticised the CDA for the illegal constructions and the court suggested a case against responsible official be sent to the Federal Investigation Agency. Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz and Inspector General Punjab Police Arif Nawaz were attending the hearing.

The civic agency on the same day wrote to the Capital Administration and Development Division’s (CADD) secretary seeking assistance from police and Rangers for the operation. The court had also censured the civic agency for not stopping stone crushing in the hills.

The letter sent by Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz requests the CADD ministry says that during the hearing of a case by the apex court, the CDA had filed a detailed report identifying the factors leading to unauthorised and illegal construction in zone-III and details on the action taken by the authority for the eradication of illegal construction.

“The honourable court, was however, not satisfied with the effectiveness of the referred actions and expressed its strong displeasure in this regard. Accordingly, a week’s time was sought from the court, so as to ensure strict, effective and indiscriminate action against all such cases of un-authorised/illegal construction within zone III,” the letter written to CADD Secretary Nargis Ghallo said.

“In view of the above, the matter may please be taken up with the secretary ministry of interior for providing assistance of police and civil armed forces/Rangers in [carrying out] operation within stipulated time period,” the letter says,

A portion of the Margalla Hills has been illegally occupied by various property dealers who have developed plots in the buffer zone and have put them up for sale.

CDA officials Dawn spoke to said some housing societies have also been established in the foothills in zone-III. Operators of the housing schemes claim they own the land.

The area within two kilometres of the highest water mark of Rawal Dam is also part of the national park and construction is therefore banned there. However, due to CDA negligence, hundreds of buildings have been made in Banigala and other catchment areas.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2017