The Lahore Bachao Committee (LBC), a non-governmental organisation, has expressed grave concern over the Punjab government's project to plan widening of the Canal Road from Dharampura underpass to Thokar Niaz Beg.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Shahid Ahmed of LBC said that the proposed project would result in removal of at least 1,873 trees of various species on both sides of the canal.
While the project is aimed at to add three more lanes on either side of the canal, the LBC emphasises that doing so is not a sustainable proposition. Increasing the width from two to four lanes will not increase the capacity of the Canal Road which has six underpasses of two lanes each, he pointed out. Similarly, he added, increasing the average speed from 50 km/hr to 75 km/hr over the distance of 17 kilometres would reduce the time by six and half minutes, while two lanes in each direction would take out more than 60 acres of public park land.
He also pointed out the seriously detrimental environmental impact of the falling of the canal trees. Along with an increase of carbon and other toxic emissions, there shall be an increase of dust and other solid particles, a rising of ground water table due to seepage from canal and cutting of eucalyptus trees. Another consequence shall be the increased consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels due to larger volumes of traffic, higher speeds and lower efficiency of private carrier compared to mass transport, he said.
Moreover, he maintained that increased traffic as well as the black top surface of the road shall generate heat, and there will be depletion of flora, resulting in negative impact on carbon/oxygen balance. A depletion of food sources in the form of fruit tees, as well as medicinal plants and wild life shall also occur as a consequence of the project, he pointed out.
According to him the widening of the road would also have an impact on the lives of pedestrians and cyclists who shall be pushed aside by speeding vehicles. The committee believes that an independent environmental impact assessment should be carried out by parties, which do not have vested interests in project.
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