Court issues stay orders to halt illegal constructions in Korang River Bed

In a latest development, civil court  in Islamabad has granted ‘Stay Orders’ to
stop construction of an illegal structure, which is being built in
Korang river bed, despite notices earlier issued by Federal
Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA). The stay has been granted till
further proceeds take place. To permanently stop the construction and
reverse its status to residents have to fight further.

For
a long-term policy intervention and collective response, Eminent
Environmentalist of Pakistan and Senior Policy Researcher at SDPI Mr. Kanwar Muhammad Javed Iqbal has called a consultative meeting of all stakeholders at SDPI on Monday, 9^th
September 2013 to formulate Policy and advocacy strategy to ensure the
right of clean drinking water in twin cities for which river Korang is a
major source. He commented that the court has taken a very right and
timely decision which is as per aspirations of the civil society at
large and step further in granting justice according to the law in
place. He added that earlier the builder continued the construction on
full swing by ignoring CDA Zoning Regulation and the legal order of FEPA
on the status of Environmental Impact Assessment which is missing part
for the execution of construction work. Civil Society through him has
prayed the worthy court to grant permanent status to the stay order till
carrying out and taking approval of Environmental Impact Assessment
study report from Federal EPA as per earlier order of Federal EPA.

The
residents of area were long protesting against widespread encroachments
along the river bed near Rawal Lake. After citizens protest, the FEPA
took up the issue and issued notices to a particular 5-storey building
project to obtain environmental impact study, which was being
constructed right into river bed near Shahpur, Mauza Phulgaran,
Islamabad.

But
despite the notice from FEPA, the construction work didn’t stopped and
residents have to approach honorable court, which issued stay order
calling builder to stop illegal construction and appear before the
court. Civil society and the residents of the area have urged
authorities to implement court orders against influential builder who
seems unmoved and has violated all the previous orders issued by various
civic departments.  

It
is important to mention that revenue officials have confirmed that land
of this particular 5-story building is part of Korang River, and the
construction clearly violates PEPA Act 1997 and CDA Zoning
regulation. Moreover, such illegal constructions put serious threats not
only to sensitive ecology but would also spread waterborne diseases by
polluting the Korang River, which is a source of potable water for
millions of people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.