Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change has criticised Capital Development Authority (CDA) in a meeting chaired by Senator Muhammad Yousaf Badani at the Parliament House for not seeking opinion of environmental wings and its own relevant wings before tendering extension of the Express Highway.
The committee directed CDA to conduct survey of factories causing environmental pollution in the areas of sector I-9 and I-10. It was also decided that the committee would itself visit these factories.
The committee also expressed grave concern over the starting of construction work on Islamabad Express High Way by CDA despite non issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Committee Chairman Muhammad Yousaf Badani in his address said that environmental pollution in Islamabad was increasing day by day and laws pertaining to environmental protection were being violated adding that climate change should be part of educational syllabus.
Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Arif Khan in his briefing to the committee said that to enforce climate variation policy of 2012 in the provinces, letters had been written to chief secretaries of all the provinces. He said that it was necessary to coordinate efforts of health, agriculture and energy sectors in tackling climate variations adding that measures had to be initiated regarding transport, agriculture and energy. He said that efforts also had to be made to secure donations from 27 major donors of the world in this regard.
The committee meeting was attended by Senators Ahmed Hassan, Gul Bashir, Sitara Ayaz recipient Samina Abid, Federal Secretary Arif Khan and CDA officials.
CDA wants Islamabad Expressway completed by Dec 15:
Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has given December 15 deadline to the contractor for completion of expanded work on the Islamabad Expressway from Zero Point to Faizabad.
In light of the prime minister’s directives, CDA has directed the construction company to ensure execution of the work by the deadline by engaging extra labour.
Project Director Shahid Mehmood said that the expansion of road from Shakarparian Chown to Zero Point was underway and carpeting had also been started and it would be completed before Eidul Azha.
He said that tenders had also been invited to make the Expressway signal-free from Karal Chowk to Faizabad. “Three firms have filed offers and the CDA chairman has constituted a seven-member committee to review the offers,” the directory said.
