KARACHI: The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) held public hearings of two high-rise building projects on Monday at a local hotel, apparently in violation of the Supreme Court orders, which have banned construction of buildings beyond ground-plus-six floors.

The two projects whose environmental impact assessment reports were shared with stakeholders were: Society Tower, a ground-plus-16-storey residential/commercial tower planned to be built on Plot 150-E, Block 2, PECHS, by Central Builders and Developers, and Creek Apartments, a ground plus 23-storey residential project planned on commercial plot D-105, Block 2, Scheme-5, in Clifton.

The EIA reports of both projects have been prepared by Environmental Manag­ement Consultants.

The Supreme Court had imposed a ban on the construction of buildings beyond ground-plus-two floors last year. However, this year the court permitted construction of buildings up to ground-plus-six floors, subject to the availability of proper water supply and sewerage system.

‘We will examine the process and ensure that court orders are being implemented’

Pointing out the dichotomy that exists between Sepa’s actions and the court orders, stakeholders questioned how the environmental watchdog could hold hearings of projects beyond ground-plus-six floors when the court had not allowed their construction.

Initially, Sepa officials in attendance at the event tried to justify their action on the ground that the department could not hold “public hearings in piecemeal” and that its approval would be subject to court orders, but later conceded that there was a legal hitch.

“We will thoroughly examine the whole process, look into its legal side and ensure that court orders are being implemented in letter and spirit,” said Sepa director Waqar Hussain Phulpoto.

Construction continues unabated

The programme started off with two detailed presentations according to which the projects are environmentally safe if measures suggested in their respective environmental management plans are adopted. Later, the floor was opened for a question-and-answer session.

Members from the audience objected that the EIA reports lacked NOCs by Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, K-Electric and Sui Southern Gas Company, which should have been submitted to Sepa and attached with the EIA reports under the law, and questioned how the projects could be declared sustainable in the absence of those important documents.

Sharing his concerns, Dr Raza Gardezi, representing Citizens for Environment, said that Sepa was violating its own rules and regulations as well as the provincial act on the right to information when it did not provide citizens access to information.

“We have repeatedly requested Sepa in writing to inform us about the no-objection certificates (NOCs) it has granted to the four major building projects (Dynasty, Free Excellency, Signature 27 and Silk Bank Tower) in Karachi. So far, we haven’t received any response.

“By denying citizens their right to know of what was made of their objections, Sepa is not only trivialising these public hearings but also belittling the citizens’ efforts,” he said.

He urged Sepa to constrain the Sindh Building Control Authority and Cantonment Board Clifton to undertake a cumulative impact assessment of the corridors that had been commercialised, before further grant of approval of architectural plans for buildings on the corridors concerned.

There was a shared concern that the government was bent on allowing more construction of buildings, ignoring the fact that the city faced an acute shortage of water and rising levels of air pollution whereas its sewerage system was in a shambles.

There was also a concern that while a large population in Karachi and many building projects were dependent on groundwater and using reverse osmosis plants, no scientific study had so far been carried out to discover the current status of groundwater and see what environmental impacts huge extraction of groundwater would cause.

It was also pointed out that violations of environmental laws were rampant in the city and Sepa lacked the capacity to properly monitor the projects after according them approval. Hence, it was likely that these building projects planned to be built in heavily busy areas would create problems for other area residents, including traffic issues.

Members from the audience urged Sepa to make the public hearing process more efficient and transparent by putting up public notice for hearing and the EIA report on its website at least two weeks ahead of scheduled hearing.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018