PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday took notice of the reports about a shortage of food for animals kept in the Peshawar Zoo due to non-provision of funds and directed the finance department to release the required amount in the next three days.

A bench consisting of the Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed Arshad Ali directed additional advocate general Syed Sikander Hayat Shah to inform the provincial finance secretary about its orders for the immediate release of funds to the zoo’s administration and produce a report within three days.

It took notice of the issue over media reports, which insisted that members of the zoo staff hadn’t received salary for the last five months and the non-provision of funds had forced animals kept there to starve.

The media reports had claimed that the quantity of the food provided to the zoo lion had been halved due to the lack of funds. They added that the zoo’s management had been asking for money but the finance department was reluctant to release it.

Takes note of food shortage for animals kept in facility

After taking up the matter in the morning, the court summoned the zoo director to appear before it to explain position on the matter.

Director Mohammad Niaz showed up afterwards.

The chief justice observed how it was possible that there would be shortage of funds for payment of salaries but the provision of food for the animals won’t be affected.

The bench observed that keeping the animals starved was inhuman and such a situation should be avoided.

ACTION AGAINST BRICK KILNS: The bench also directed Peshawar’s district administration to take an immediate action against brick kilns harming the environment by burning plastic material as fuel.

It took notice of the issue after appearance of a photo in a section of the press showing the use of some plastic material as fuel in a brick kiln on the outskirts of Peshawar.

Additional deputy commissioner Dr Ahtesham Khan informed the bench that the administration had already started campaign against brick kilns involved in such like practices and had sealed several of it.

He said that the government was encouraging the use of the environment-friendly zigzag technology by brick kilns.

The chief justice observed that the district administration had turned a blind eye to environment-related issues.

He added that the practices like the use of plastic as fuel was very hazardous and resulted into multiple diseases among the people.

The bench observed that in an identical case, the high court had already ordered the introduction of the environment-friendly technology in brick kilns to minimise the negative impacts of their operation on the environment.

It directed the ADC to ramp up their efforts and submit a report to it.

The bench also directed him to set a one-day deadline for kilns to do away with the practice of burning plastic material as fuel and observed that if the kilns didn’t act accordingly, they should be closed down.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2022