ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) on Friday formed a committee to review the construction of Alexander Road being built through Margalla Hills National Park in violation of environmental laws.

The committee was formed by Pak-EPA Director General Farzana Altaf Shah following a public hearing held on Thursday.

“The Islamabad High Court has ordered developers to stop construction of the road through the sensitive area. The committee of experts would give its recommendations in light of court orders and the discussions during the public hearing,” Ms Shah said.

During the public hearing, Pak-EPA director general said construction of the road from Shah Allah Ditta to Alexander Well was in violation of environmental laws and thus illegal.

IWMB chief asks why developers started project inside national park without getting approval

The public hearing was held with all stakeholders involved, including villagers and developers, on the environmental impact assessment of construction of the road, which runs through the protected Margalla Hills National Park.

“The road is being built to benefit land mafia only,” Farzana Altaf Shah told Dawn.

She quoted Section 12 of the Environment Protection Act 1995, which read, “No proponent of a project shall commence construction or operation unless he has filed with the Federal Agency an initial environmental examination or, where the project is likely to cause an adverse environmental effect.”

The Pak-EPA director general said the Capital Development Authority (CDA), which was the proponent of the project, failed to submit a thorough environmental impact assessment (EIA) report to obtain environmental clearance from the environment agency.

It was important to mention that Farzana Altaf Shah almost cancelled the meeting after DG Environment and Member Environment from CDA, the two relevant senior officials answerable for the project, did not attend the public hearing.

To the surprise of all participants at the hearing, work on the road was being undertaken at war footing until the Islamabad High Court ordered developers to stop construction work on the dual lane 7.5km road.

Since September, the developers had cut the hills inside the protected area and built retaining walls. “The plan is to build the same thoroughfare that was built all the way to Monal/Pir Sohawa. Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Act clearly states that only access roads can be built through protected forests, which is different from commercial infrastructure,” Ms Shah said.

During the hearing, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan wondered why developers started a project inside the national park without getting approval from the custodians of the protected area, which was the IWMB.

“This is a sensitive area. Look what happened with Daman-i-Koh Road after it was extended past Pir Sohawa. Commercial infrastructure sprang. This was exactly what was discussed during the public hearing. The double Alexander Road was being built, and before we know it, those lands will open up for housing authorities and commercial infrastructure inside the Margalla Hills National Park. There will be no end to it,” Ms Khan said.

The wildlife law permitted access roads, but was meant for tourists to facilitate them within the national park. The Alexander Road being built was a trans-boundary road connecting Islamabad with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), she said. The committee formed by Pak-EPA is expected to present its recommendations next week.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023