ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Thursday asked the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) to explain at its next meeting the grounds and conditions on which land in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) was leased to Monal Restaurant and Gloria Jean’s.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change was displeased to learn that private restaurants were allocated space despite committee members protesting commercial ventures in the protected area.

However, officials from the CDA expressed ignorance to questions from the committee and instead passed the buck on to the MCI as the responsible authority for allowing commercial activities in Margalla Hills National Park.

After the CDA’s disappointing responses, committee chair MNA Munaza Hassan decided to call the concerned representatives from the CDA and MCI to the next meeting for clear answers. The committee meeting also took up several issues such as waste management programmes and the ongoing 10 Billion Tree plantation programme.

Committee members were also briefed by the Punjab Irrigation Department on Rawal Dam, which was built in 1962 and had completed its life in 2012. With just 35pc silt deposited in the dam, its life has been extended for another 40 to 45 years.

While the committee deferred The Pakistan Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill 2019, members were briefed by representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum on the graduation and shifting of fuel specification Euro-V technology. The committee was not satisfied with the briefing and asked to be briefed in detail when it meets again next.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2020