Model Town Cooperative Society members and Model Town residents are demanding of the society’s executive committee shun its plan for development projects in two of the society’s parks.
Per details, the Model town executive committee plans to commission an amusement park at Model Town’s Central Park in addition to four restaurants at Nawaz Sharif Park. A plan to build a high rise shopping mall in J-Block’s green area is also being opposed.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) director IA Rehman, architect Nayyar Ali Dada and Lahore Bachao Tehrik convener Imrana Tiwana are also opposed to the projects.
According to Punjab Environment Protection Act 2012 a community land cannot be used for any other purpose other than construction of a road if the community does not grant its consent.
Park Bachao Tehrik (PBT) was formed in January 2013 in alliance with Lahore Bachao Tehrik. Letters condemning the projects were sent by PBT member Major Tanvir Ahmad to the director general of the Environment Protection Agency, the chief minister’s complaint cell, the secretary of the Planning and Development Department, the Lahore High Court’s Green Bench and the registrar of Cooperatives Development.
Ahmad said he had sent three letters to the cooperatives’ registrar, the last one with 183 members’ signatures. He added that so far there had been no response.
Ahmad said the agenda was distributed among Model Town residents regarding the Annual General Meeting to be held in November. He said the meeting held on December 2 and the agenda passed and sent to the Cooperatives Department by the executive committee.
Pakistan National Council of the Arts chairman Former Chairman Naeem Tahir who is also a resident of Model Twon J block said that he would have been happy to support a plan for building a children’s park in Nawaz Sharif Park. He said that “right now it would be best to return the proposal till consensus is sought from the members. I would not like anything to be altered in the Central Park.”
Meanwhile, Model Town Society vice president Dawood Barry, also a member of the executive committee, rejected the allegations regarding commercialisation in green areas. He said that “for the first time in the Society’s history the Annual General Meeting had been attended by nearly 500 members who had unanimously approved a plan “for improving children’s play area at the Central Park.”