In light of public complaints appearing in the print media, Wafaqi Mohtasib, Javed Sadiq Malik has taken notice of the reported pollution in and around the Khanpur Dam Lake.
The Ombudsman termed neglect on the part of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adequately address the issue as 'maladministration' as defined in President's Order No 1 of 1983. In order to determine the facts of the potential public health hazards for the citizen's of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the Ombudsman ordered an investigation into the matter.
"The Khanpur Dam Lake is a source of drinking water to the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the public complaints had pointed to real estate development around the Khanpur Dam Lake area and the contamination of the water reservoir due to dumping of waste into the lake," the Ombudsman observed.
After providing the EPA, who is responsible for monitoring such pollution, with due opportunity to present its case and following careful review of reports of experts on the extent and causes of pollution, the ombudsman determined that the public complaints were based on facts and that the steps taken by the EPA to prevent pollution in the lake were inadequate and unsatisfactory.
In view of the above position, the Wafaqi Mohtasib has now directed EPA to take immediate steps in accordance with the law to control pollution in Khanpur lake. The Mohtasib also directed the real estate development and Wapda colony to make adequate arrangements for disposal of solid waste to the satisfaction of the EPA, within a period of 60 days.