Metrobus and environment

Senate Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat expressed serious concerns on construction of the Metrobus project linking Rawalpindi with Islamabad all the way to the federal secretariat. The committee was of the view that as a result of elimination of the green belt to facilitate this project the environment had been severely compromised and damaged. The law requires 'environment impact assessment' - a process that entails public hearings - before any project can commence. In the instant case the actual work on the project commenced two days prior to the clearance by the environment protection agency.
There is no doubt that Islamabad residents as well as the hundreds of thousands of commuters from Rawalpindi are being massively inconvenienced with the project in full swing leading to road blocks and diversions as well as heavy cloud of dust in and around areas where the construction is ongoing. Two questions beg an answer: why the government did not follow the procedure and get clearance from the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA)? And whether the benefit to the commuters between the twin cities outweighs the irretrievable damage to the environment?
National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak) was one of the firms contracted by the government to execute the 44.1 billion rupee Metrobus project but its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report did not satisfy the Pak-EPA on no less than 12 counts and it sought responses from Nespak in March. However, Pak-EPA issued a conditional No Objection Certificate on 13th May, 2014 - conditional on ensuring protection of environment in Islamabad and pine and other trees along Jinnah Avenue - and is awaiting a response that would allay all its concerns.
A member of the Senate subcommittee Dr Jawaid Chishti, however, argued that the Metrobus project would cause irreparable damage to the capital's green belts by concretising two major avenues beyond permissible levels allowed in the city's master plan. Capital Development Authority (CDA) Member Administration revealed to the media that not only has the original design route been altered to take account of environment concerns (instead of a ground loop towards Kashmir Highway, which would have passed through the weekly bazaar the plan now is for an elevated loop which would impact on 5 stalls in the bazaar as opposed to 40 before) but the trees that have been uprooted would be planted at some other location. He added that as a consequence of the project Islamabad is expected to receive 280 million rupees from the budget of Metrobus for environmental uplift.
It is noteworthy to mention that there is a study done by the Asian Development Bank with government regarding mass transit bus system for Islamabad the total cost of which is under five billion rupees while the federal government contribution to the Metrobus project would alone be Rs 24 billion.
The committee members also expressed concerns about the start of a development project by a provincial and federal government in federal area. In response the CDA Chairman referred to Article 146 of the constitution that stipulates that "the federal government may, with the consent of the government of a province entrust either conditionally or unconditionally to that government or to its officers functions in relation to any matter to which the executive authority of the federation extends."
If one queries Islamabad's long-time residents there is near unanimity at the steady erosion of the city's beauty over the past three to four decades as it grew to accommodate the ever-rising demand for transport as well as housing. While there is natural expansion of all major cities around the world, particularly capitals, which provide rising employment opportunities, yet prior to launching a venture that so obviously compromises the environment it would have been appropriate to meet all the necessary conditions as encapsulated in the relevant regulatory agencies.
The government should address these questions and fully comply with the law. It should not ride rough shod over serious and cogent objections to this project and proceed with its execution, otherwise all allegations and insinuations of financial gratification for government functionaries involved in this project would gain further currency.