ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered verification of the site plan of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s 300-kanal Banigala estate submitted to the court by his counsel.

Advocate Babar Awan furnished the site plan before a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in response to an earlier direction by the court.

The bench had taken up a suo motu notice on a letter written by Mr Khan inviting the court’s attention towards uncheck and unplanned construction in the Banigala area, large scale tree felling and the pollution of Rawal Lake.

The counsel explained that union council Bhara Kahu had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) in favour of the property in 1990 while Mr Khan got a proper certificate in 2003.

UC Bhara Kahu issued NOC for property in 1990 and Imran got a proper certificate in 2003, court informed

The court, however, asked whether the site plan had formerly been approved, and directed the authority concerned to confirm it.

CDA’s Member Planning Asad Kiyani in a presentation informed the court that land around Rawal Lake had been leased for 15 to 30 years and housed different constructions from wedding halls to race tracks to amusement areas.

The presentation showed that Mohammad Maalik of ESP Initiative was leased out 25 acres in the Lakeview Park for off road motor sports for 15 years and a company, Trendy Amusement, was given 1.24 acres for 15 years for BMX cycling.

Likewise, 2F2F Formula Karting of Hassan Humayun was leased out land for 15 years, Battle Field of Atif Rafi for Paint Ball Bugee Trampoline Mini Golf was leased out 1.83 acres, ABS Progressive of Syed Bilal Bashah given 6.53 acres for Golf Driving Range, The Rock of Zeejah Fazil was given 1.5 acres for a musical play area, Horse and Horseman of Adil Shah and Zahid Malik was leased out 10 acres for horse riding, F-1 Track of Luqman Ali Afzal was leased out eight acres for 30 years for kids’ rides, Development Aids of Yashir Hameed for mini-jets and swings was leased out 3.8 acres for 15 years.

The report conceded that 37,000 kanals on the catchment areas of Rawal Lake along Korang River, Zone-III and Banigala, had been encroached upon by unauthorised and unregulated construction of houses.

Likewise, 6,872 kanals have been encroached in the catchments of Rawal Lake, it added.

In Zone-III namely Kot Hathyal Bhara Kahu north of Murree Road, Banigala area in Mauza Mohra Noor within two km from the dam and construction within 1,000 feet on either side from the centre of Korang River has been encroached.

Similarly, unauthorised and unregulated constructions have been developed in Zone-IV in Kot Hathyal Bhara Kahu, south of Murree Road and Banigala, two km from the lake.

The CDA suggested one-time regularisation of the existing structures on both zones meeting essential health and safety standards notwithstanding the Islamabad Capital Territory Zoning Regulations 1992.

The CDA member told the court that water from the dam was provided to the citizens of Rawalpindi after proper treatment whereas the residents of Islamabad were supplied water from the Simly Dam.

He, however, feared a looming water crisis in the capital since the underground aquifers had gone down considerably whereas a project to get water from Tarbella Dam will be completed in the next five years.

The presentation stated that samples collected from the entry points of different streams had confirmed a considerable amount of contamination entering into the lake.

It added that samples collected near the point from the twin tower at One Constitution Avenue were found highly contaminated.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2018