KARACHI, Sept 2: The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has decided to hold a public hearing and give stakeholders a chance to raise their concerns, if any, on the environmental impact of a proposed 1.66km long flyover on main Gizri Road in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

The DHA had submitted an initial report to the agency some two months back, after which the authorities decided to ask the authority to submit a detailed environmental impact assessment report before executing further works on the project.

After an evaluation of the initial report, it transpired that the proposed flyover would be of 1.66 km (5461 ft) length and 15 metres (49.2 ft) width, and as it would cover a vast portion of the existing main Gizri Road (Khayaban-i-Hafiz), it would be in the fitness of things to go for having a public hearing and a detailed study of the socio-economic, environmental and physical impacts of the DHA elevated way project.

The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has also asked the DHA to hold a detailed EIA before the start of the work.

Director-General of Sepa Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh also held a meeting with the DHA high-ups recently and informed them that the EIA was a must under various provisions of environmental laws.

The Defence Housing Authority, which under an order of the Sindh High Court has already been restrained from carrying out further construction on the flyover beyond the Total Petrol Pump on main Khayaban-i-Hafiz till the next date of hearing, is now required not to proceed with the project on the ground also, and the same was duly conveyed to the DHA managers in the meeting.

The Sepa DG was of the view that the project would result in trapping of smoke, hydrocarbons, noise and other emissions from vehicles plying this portion of Khayaban-i-Hafiz, located in a busy commercial and residential area, and as such impact mitigation plan is needed to be finalised after observing all legal formalities.

Moreover, Dr. Shaikh in a letter to the DHA noted that smoke and other emissions from vehicular traffic would create health hazards for people living and working in the vicinity, in addition to adversely effecting ambient air quality in the area due to poor dispersion of pollutants.

He stressed the need for studying the environmental aspect of the project in further detail.

Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, the DG said an approval of EIA plan and issuance of NOC by the agency was mandatory, and the DHA should move at the earliest in the larger public interest in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 and IEE/EIA Regulations 2000, and award an opportunity to all stakeholders to voice their concerns through a public hearing.

A source in the environmental protection agency said it was for the second time that the DHA had been asked to ensure EIA activities for its development projects.

In a communication sent by the then DG of Sepa (Ali Ahmad Lund) in May, 2008, the DHA was asked to undertake a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for development of some projects in the Zone E of its waterfront project and till then put the construction activity on hold.

The then DG had feared that the project being developed and built may have an adverse environmental effect on ecology, the source added.

Sindh Minister for Environment and Alternative Energy Askari Taqvi has directed the authorities of EPA Sindh to circulate copies of National Environmental Quality Standards to all big and small industries of Sindh so that they may be fully aware of emission parameters and their permissible limits which industrialists and other stakeholders are bound to abide by under various Sections of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (PEP Act 97).

Further, during a visit to an effluent plant of the Pakistan Tanneries Association in Korangi Industrial Area on Tuesday, the environment minister ordered the environment protection agency to take action against 25 tanneries which were violating environmental laws and discharging effluents without their due treatment.