ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has taken suo motu notice of reports on environmental aspect of the proposed ‘New Murree project’ and sought details of the project from the Punjab Government within 10 days.

“Notice be issued to the chief secretary, Government of Punjab, to submit report on the issue within 10 days,” said a one-page order issued by the CJ on Wednesday.

The chief justice took notice after reading an article in Dawn on September 8.

The writer had criticised the project for having potential to cause adverse effects on environment, threaten the Murree Hill Forests and pollute the waters of the Simly and Rawal dams on which residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad depend.

The CJ noted that the project was being pursued despite its rejection by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Environment and the concern expressed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), local government representatives and the irrigation department.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan had accused the Punjab government of destroying the Patriata forests in the name of constructing a tourist resort.

The New Murree tourist resort is being built 24 kilometres south-east of Murree in the Patriata Hills over 4,111 acres of reserve forest.

According to the said article, hundred of thousands of coniferous trees would have to be cut or uprooted for building the resort. It would damage Patriata forests and affect the average annual rainfall.

The forest is situated in the catchement area of both Simly and Rawal dams, which cater for almost half of the drinking-water needs of Rawalpindi and Islamabad residents.

The New Murree project, the article said, would affect the flow of water into the dams and would lead to their eventual silting. It would also increase soil erosion, hence risk of landslides.