ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, Tuesday, expressed 'deep concern' over repeated fire incidents in Margalla Hills, and asked Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to work in coordination for prevention of these incidents in future. The newly formed committee held its maiden meeting, presided over by Chairperson Seemee Ezdi, from the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
During the proceedings, the committee expressed its 'extreme displeasure' over the absence of chairman CDA from the Senate panel's meeting.
"This is very embarrassing and annoying for all of us. It seems that senior bureaucrats do not take the proceedings of Parliament and its committees seriously at all," the committee chairperson remarked.
The panel also raised alarm over rise in littering at the tourist spots in the federal capital. The officials from IWMB and CDA briefed the committee about the scenario involving fire incidents in Margalla Hills.
The committee recommended that both CDA and IWMB "must work together for smooth functioning and prevention of such incidents in future."
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan recommended to engage local community for prevention of fire incidents in forests.
However, a committee member, requesting anonymity, contradicted Ali Awan's stance. "The CDA's policy to engage locals in protection of Margalla Hills is resulting in rising number of fire incidents," the source said.
As part of its policy, the CDA hires, for few months, some members of local community for the protection of Margalla Hills, the source added. "Those who are hired are happy. But those people among the locals, who are not hired, feel left out and they are mainly the ones who are believed to be behind the fire incidents," the insider added.
"The CDA should not have any involvement in forest protection. It's the job of Ministry of Climate Change and IWMD that should be better equipped for this job," the senator said.
Apart from that, the Senate panel took up the public petition referred to it by Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani. The petition concerns the officials of Forest Department of Punjab who are apparently being affected by certain provisions of Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline And Accountability Act (PEEDA) Act 2006.
The Senate panel was briefed that under the existing provisions, forest guards were held responsible for forest damage and faced 'dire financial consequences.'
Representatives from the provincial Forest Department briefed the committee; the Forest Act 1927 has been amended and will be placed before the cabinet for approval. After amendment in the Act, the grievances of employees would hopefully be addressed, they said.
Moreover, the committee was informed that Punjab Forest Protection Rules 2021 were also being finalized and Forest Manuals were also being revised to ensure protection of the rights of all stakeholders.
The committee, after deliberations with the Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir, recommended that senior officials of MoCC and Punjab's Forest Department hold a meeting with the petitioner to resolve the matter.
The MoCC officials briefed the committee about the ministry's working. They briefed the members about various initiatives including 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, Astola Island, Migratory Birds, Houbara Bustard Endowment Fund and Clean Green Cities Index taken by MoCC. The Senate panel also discussed the usage of Euro 2 fuel and its harmful impact on the environment.
The members of the committee also expressed their concern on the docking of ship carrying hazardous material in Gadani. Committee members including Faisal Javed, Humayun Mohmand, Khalida Ateeb, Keshoo Bai, Sherry Rehman, Taj Haider, Kamran Michael and Abida Muhammad Azeem as well as senior officials of MoCC, IWMB, CDA and Punjab's Forest Department attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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