Gas supply to Murree: Punjab government has decided not to allow cutting of trees, Supreme Court told

Punjab government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided not to allow cutting of even a single tree for implementation of the multi-million rupees project for gas supply to Murree and prayed for disposal of the suo motu notice in this regard.
Earlier, the court had taken a suo-motu notice on the application of residents of Murree against the planned chopping of thousands of trees to make the gas supply project a success, which they believed, was primarily modified to provide gas connection to the newly-constructed palatial residence of Hamza Shahbaz, the son of Punjab Chief Minister, at Dunga Gali.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Ghulam Rabbani directed Sui Northern Gas Pipelines to submit a detailed report on the subject and adjourned the hearing for January 11. The Rural Areas Development Organisation, an NGO working for the development and preservation of Murree forests, in its application to the Chief Justice had mentioned that it was the right of tens of thousands of inhabitants of Murree and Abbottabad to get gas connection but the original plan had been modified to provide this facility to just one house, sacrificing thousands of trees with irreparable environmental damage.
The court also directed the residents of Murree to submit their detailed reservations on the project. Khadim Hussain Qaiser, Additional Advocate General Punjab submitted a report of secretary environment regarding the subject, wherein it was decided not to allow cutting of even a single tree.
The report further revealed, Ismail Paracha, senior general manager, SNGPL, Lahore had approached the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab through an application seeking NOC for laying 10.27 Km natural gas pipeline from lower Topa to Ratti Gali via Jhika Gali and Kaldanna and 27.7 Km long distribution supply main from Ratti Gali to Nathia Gali, construction of 11 feet wide strip of land as Right of Way (Row). This right of way from Lower Topa to Ratti Gali is traversing through valleys and about 2300 small and big trees are coming the way.
Qasier said that the areas of Murree, Kotli Satian and Kahuta have been declared as environmental sensitive areas. The chief minister had declined to approve a summary moved by secretary Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries department for cutting of 2436 green trees. On August 26, 2006, former President Pervez Musharraf had announced provision of gas to rural areas and Gallyat of Murree at a cost of Rs 3.5 billion.
The Central Development Working Party approved the project in June 2007 and allocated required funds for laying pipelines. The federal and provincial governments transferred Rs 1,500 million to SNGPL, which after surveying the area prepared a map for laying the pipeline.
On November 15, 2007, the provincial and federal governments were dissolved after completion of their tenures and the Election Commission imposed a ban on launching of new projects. According to some media reports, the Punjab government had modified the gas supply project merely to provide connection to the newly built bungalow of Hamza Shahbaz. And the modification in the approved project had resulted in denial of gas supply to 26 villages of Murree and 32 villages of Abbottabad.