Zubair Qureshi
Illegal and unplanned constructions in waterways caused recent disaster in urban areas of twin cities during the monsoon rains.
The experts viewed this during a seminar on ‘illegal constructions in waterways in peri-urban areas’ Tuesday.
They demanded strict compliance on the Environmental Impact Assessment and implementation of the Master Plan to protect water from contamination and environmental degradation being caused due to unplanned urban development.
The event was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute .
Speaking on the occasion, Romina Khurshid, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister said that Pakistan is currently facing the challenge of rural to urban migration while the urban areas are unequipped with the capacity to handle and accommodate the migrants. She further said that development projects in the urban areas are destroying the natural ecosystems especially due to the construction of high-rise buildings to accommodate urban population. Criticizing the public departments for their inefficient monitoring of corporate housing societies, she said there is a poor development in urban areas because it is causing problems of sanitation, water contamination, air pollution and urban flooding.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that the issue of illegal constructions in close proximity of waterways is a very serious issue in Pakistan. Each year, during the monsoon season, several incidents of urban flooding are reported, he said, adding that development of housing societies is allowed in these vulnerable areas putting the lives of thousands of people at risk.
Farzana Shah, Director-General of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency , called for strengthening and improving the coordination among government departments to restore the real spirit of the master plan of Islamabad.
Former Federal Secretary Dr Syed Kalim Imam called for conducting the accountability of people in their individual and professional capacity. He was of the view that intellectual dishonesty must be taken as a crime and such people should be held accountable by the authorities concerned.
Shazia Bilal Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan, pointed out that according to some estimates over 1,000,000 people in Islamabad live in around two dozen slums.
