The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Monday claimed that it would spend around Rs 171 million for the uplift of parks across the federal capital to provide residents with recreational facilities, besides protecting the environmental beauty of the city.
“Though a lot of parks had been developed in Islamabad, attention was not being paid to their maintenance and uplift. The CDA would now carry out the task before these facilities lose their attraction and utility,” said CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz.
While addressing a prize distribution ceremony of Traveling Nature Carnival – 2013, organised by World Wide Fund for nature (WWF – Pakistan) and Indus Motor Company (IMC) Toyota, the chairman said CDA was developing a mega park in Sector G-13 by spending millions of rupees to provide residents of the area with increasing facilities.
“A park is being developed along Kashmir Highway that would also help contain the encroachments swelling in the area. The residents of adjoining sectors had also been pressing the CDA for this purpose,” he said.
Syed Tahir Shahbaz lauded the holding of a nature carnival and commented that the uniqueness of Islamabad’s beauty lies in its green character that needed to be protected at any cost because the “giant of pollution posed serious threats to it”.
The nature carnival attracted hundreds of the visitors, including students from around 100 schools, five colleges and 10 leading universities from public and private sectors.
The carnival was aimed at creating awareness among the residents, particularly the youngsters, on environmental protection and climate change and elimination of pollution from the city.
The themes selected for the 3D models which were exhibited included, ‘Solid Waste Management’, ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’, ‘Marine Conservation’, ‘Save Forest’, ‘Save Water’, ‘Converting Waste to Energy,’ ‘Reducing Water’, ‘Energy and Carbon Footprint’, ‘Water and Sanitation’ and ‘Green Economy’.
CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz distributed WWF branded shields, trophies and certificates among the winners.