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KARACHI, Oct 9: The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the ministry of environment to establish environment tribunals as required in term of section 12 of Pakistan Environment Protection Act 1997 within two months so that environment issues could be decided expeditiously.
The direction came on a petition filed by an NGO which challenged the decision of the Sindh Environment Protection Agency on the basis of initial environment examination for construction and operation of 94 megawatts natural gas-fired power-plant and a three mgd desalination plant on plot No DSL-1 along with 80 feet wider coastal avenue in DHA, which is being established by DHA Cogen limited.
Disposing of the petition, SHC's division bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Maqbool Baqar, which reserved the order after hearing arguments of the federation and petitioner counsel, set aside the decision and remanded back the matter to the Sindh Environment Protection Agency for evaluation of project on basis of EIA submitted by respondent company.
The court directed that the SEPA will decide the matter within 30 days after detailed scrutiny and hearing the petitioner strictly on merits and without being influenced by interim arrangements.
Keeping in view that project is being built to provide basic amenities of life to a sizable population and now it is in advanced stage of its completion, the court, however, allowed the company to continue the construction and erection of the project in consonance with their undertaking before the court and strictly in compliance with the condition imposed by SEPA at its own risk.
However, the court made it clear that project shall not be put into operation till the decision by the SEPA.
The court observed in its order that the allegation and apprehension of the petitioner regarding environment fallout of the project, which refuted by the respondents, will require an evaluation which may involve question pertaining to the planning equipment, various other technical aspects of the project and many other issues, and the exercise can only be undertaken by the SEPA.
CHARGESHEET: The administrative judge of anti-terrorism courts in Karachi on Monday directed the investigation officer to submit chargesheet against two accused in kidnapping for ransom cases.
Mohammad Shamim and Masood Alam were arrested by the Orangi police last month and during interrogation they admitted to have kidnapped children for ransom.The police said that the accused kidnapped a three-and-a-half-year-old boy Fawad on Sept 18 from Pirabad and received Rs200,000 as ransom for his release.
The accused also abducted Zainul Abideen, 5, from Orangi and received Rs50,000 for his release in August this year.
The IO sought further time to submit chargesheet against the accused. AJ Justice Amir Hani Muslim of Sindh High Court, the granting request, directed the IO to submit chargesheet against them on the next date of hearing.
Bail granted: A single bench of High Court of Sindh, comprising Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali, on Monday granted bail to an accused arrested by the FIA for sending other co accused to Iran.
The bail was granted to Naveed Ahmed against a surety of Rs100,000. The applicant, with two other co-accused, namely Shoaib Murtaza and Mohammad Latif, was arrested by the FIA on April 13.
The applicant had allegedly taken Rs 3,000 from two other co-accused for sending them to Iran. Advocate Muneer Ahmed appeared for the applicant. The same single bench also granted protective pre-arrest bail for seven days to another accused, allegedly involved in theft of buffaloes, on furnishing surety of Rs 50,000.—PPI/APP
