Due to negligence of the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) environment wing, a private builder has chopped a complete row of 40 years old trees in the posh sector F/7 of the capital city.
The private builder, Saffa Gold Mall, ruthlessly chopped a complete row of towering trees in front of the under-construction commercial plaza in F-7 Markaz next to a petrol pump. The majestic trees were around 40 years old and part of the main roadside plantation done some four decades earlier in a planned manner.
The CDA also constructed an elegant tree boxes around these magnificent trees to protect them from any kind of violation and encroachments. The visit of the sight reveals that main purpose behind the cutting of trees is the perception of the builder that these trees will block the view of his property which does not have any justified ground. Following the incident, the CDA imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 per tree to the builder and asked him to plant trees to compensate this heavy loss to the environment. The civic body has also suspended the area forester Nafees, and forest guard Yasir for negligence in monitoring of the precious trees in area of their jurisdiction.
Prime Minister’s Task Force Chairman on Islamabad Faisal Sakhi Butt also directed the CDA to take strict action against the responsible.
Butt said that the trees were an important part of the environment and no negligence in conservation of the green character and natural environment of the city would be tolerated. He said every citizen should come forward to protect and plant trees to overcome the shortage of forests. “Today’s green Islamabad is the outcome of laborious and consistent efforts of the CDA employees, which they made during the successive regimes by planting, protecting and nourishing the trees in the capital city”, he maintained.
HEC urges varsities for
financial sustainability: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) organised an awareness workshop entitled “University advancement- concept, themes and practices” at its head office on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Dr Javaid R Laghari, HEC chairperson, said education was top priority for the people all over the world. “Many developing nations are spending almost 4 percent of their GDP on education while in Pakistan this ratio is very low. Unfortunately, due to economic conditions of the country, the money for higher education is drying out. Now it’s very important for universities to take steps for their financial sustainability, expansion and growth,” he said. The chairperson said the Universities were required to project their achievements so that government and society may be able to know the true dynamics of the money spent on higher education.
Dr Nasser Ali Khan, Member (Operations and Planning) HEC, said it was essential for the universities to inform community, government and society at large regarding their achievements. “Comprehensive marketing and communication strategies are required to be developed and universities need to allocate sufficient budget for marketing and communication activities,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Riaz Hussain Qureshi, Adviser (Human Resource Development) HEC, in his welcome address, informed the participants that HEC in partnership with USAID was running a university advancement programme in 11 institutions.
