The IUCN Pakistan is of the view that New Murree Hills Development Project could cause major ecological and environmental disaster due to ill-planning for waste disposal and cutting of decades old trees at Patriata, sources said. The report titled "Rapid Environmental Appraisal of Development in and around Murree Hills", which is yet to be released by the IUCN, reveals, in general Murree hills appear to be overcrowded with tourists.
The pre-feasibility study had identified four key constraints in development of New Murree - reserved forests, difficult topography, landslides and seismic faults.
Additional issues often raised by the general public and some professionals are water supply and sanitation with possible impacts on water quality and supply in downstream Islamabad.
Main threats related to the development of New Murree include construction activities in the reserved forest area, geological instabilities, water supply and sanitation-related issues, report said.
Environmental experts said the proposed plan includes removal of up to eight percent of trees (totalling a maximum number of 11,680) within the New Murree boundaries, which fall in the reserved forest area.
It is being done in a prime forested area of Murree and this drastic change in land use could have far-reaching implications that need to be carefully considered, IUCN feared.
It may be noted that a new mega project, New Murree, is being planned as a tourist city of international standard, covering 4,111 acres of reserved forests at about 2000 meters to 2300 elevation in Patriata.
New Murree will cater to some 50,000 visitors per day. The mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) required under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (PEPA '97) for all such projects, has yet to be undertaken.
Even there are widespread unchecked construction activities, some of them illegal, in and around Murree including lower stretches of Rawal dam catchment areas. There are no proper arrangements for the management of solid waste and wastewater disposal.
While on the other hand, for executing this Rs 8 billion project, the Punjab government has formed the New Murree Development Authority (NMDA), chaired by the chief minister.
Under the NMDA Act 2004, full powers have been given to the authority for overriding certain existing rules and assuming powers given to local governments. The NMDA has short-listed Thai Fedcon and Nespak for developing a master plan.
IUCN experts emphasised that a baseline study of the biological diversity in the Patriata forest needs to be undertaken to have a better understanding of resources threatened by the proposed development.
IUCN in a letter to Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi and the federal minister for environment requested that a study needs to be carried out to ascertain impacts of both erosion and seismic activity, especially in view of possible secondary developments in the area.
The New Murree Development Authority has been given full control over water resources of the area with municipal water supply being planned from River Jhelum.
Four wastewater treatment plants and a three-acre sanitary landfill for solid waste are included in the proposed plan. However, there is a need to examine the possible extent of secondary developments around New Murree and their possible impacts on water supply and sanitation in the area.
The under-construction 43km long highway passes close to New Murree also poses a major threat to a number of graves at Mughalabad.
The Capital Development Authority is also alarmed over the solid waste coming from New Murree hills into the Rawal lake and Simly dam.
At present there is no waste treatment facility working in any of these housing schemes on Murree hills. Solid waste including plastic bags can be observed littered on slopes all over Murree hills.
It is not uncommon to see garbage being burned along roadsides fumes from which are detrimental to air quality of the area.
Four alternate sites were examined within Murree hills for developing a tourist city. These areas were Ban, Barian, Charihan and Patriata.
Eventually Patriata was selected as the most appropriate site for the development of New Murree. Facilities developed at New Murree will include a five-star hotel, 7 international standard hotels, villas, cottages, and a wide-range of recreational and amusement facilities.
Reportedly, New Murree will have a planned capacity for 50,000 visitors per day.
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