ISLAMABAD: Civil society activists and environmentalists on Sunday demanded an environment impact assessment (EIA) of the ongoing construction of Margalla Avenue.

Speaking at a webinar organised by Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) on illegal intrusion into Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP), the participants urged the prime minister to take notice of alleged intrusion by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) inside the park for construction of Margalla Avenue without taking into account the Environmental Protection Order (EPO), issued by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) over violation of the protected area’s boundary.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said Margalla Avenue was launched in 2012 by Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, the then prime minister of Pakistan. Questions about the project’s environmental impact were raised back then as well.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had already reserved its verdict two months back on the citizens’ petition. Six more public interest petitions had been clubbed with the first one. “CDA has continued its construction work at the avenue till today despite the case in the court of law, and the Pak-EPA has also issued an EPO. This is strange. CDA is not heeding the concerns of the stakeholders, and continuing violation of the rule of law”, he said.

Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan said she was only concerned with what participants termed illegal encroachment by CDA into the MHNP. “We were repeatedly given assurances that the Margalla Avenue will not pass through the MHNP that is one of the 15 protected areas, Prime Minister Imran Khan had very proudly declared”, she said.

She said CDA should have halted the construction work until the verdict was announced. It is unethical that CDA kicked off construction without the approval of EIA and did not pay heed to the order of Pak-EPA.

Participants were informed that residents of D-12 had formed an action committee in a meeting on Sunday to interact with CDA about the project. They were of the view that the six-lane Margalla Avenue would increase traffic congestion, noise and air pollution besides disturbing residential sectors in its vicinity.

Hamid Sarfraz, a representative of the committee and a development professional, informed the audience that the badly planned Margalla Avenue was designed to end abruptly in D-12. It was noted with concern that partial completion of Margalla Avenue would bring traffic volume from a six-lane road to single lane service roads of D-12, causing air and noise pollution.

According to participants, residents had resolved that they would take legal measures to protect their right to a clean environment and freedom of movement.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2021