LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday restrained the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) from using machinery of Turkish contractor Albayrak and sought replies from the Punjab government and other respondents.
Representing a petition of the Turkish company, Advocate Shazib Masud contended before the court that the LWMC in connivance with the local police forcefully and illegally occupied the whole machinery and vehicles of the contractor/petitioner before the expiry of the contract. He said the respondents had no authority to take over the machinery and other infrastructure of the petitioner.
The counsel said the police also manhandled the employees of the petitioner/company and removed the Turkish staff from the workshops. He asked the court declare the impugned act of the LWMC and other respondents illegal and order them to return the illegally possessed machinery to the petitioner.
Justice Shahid Karim passed an interim order and restrained the LWMC from using the machinery of the contractor and sought replies from all the respondents by Dec 29.
RIVER RAVI: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to submit notification of the land acquisition by the Punjab River Ravi Urban Development Authority.
On behalf of a petitioner, Advocate Sheraz Zaka argued before the court that the development in the surroundings of the river Ravi should be for public purpose only. He said the Punjab Environment Protection Agency was not performing its statutory obligations and Lahore and adjoining areas had become one of the most polluted cities.
Justice Karim directed the government to impose heavy fines against the industrial emissions across the province and also on those involved in selling and manufacturing of plastic.
The judge adjourned the proceedings till Jan 17, 2021.
Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2020
