LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has stayed the construction works at Ravi River Front Urban Development Project (RUDAP) till the grant of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). The court observed, “Since the process for the grant of EIA is underway, it is directed that no work shall be commenced at the site by RUDA until the approvals are granted by the EPD”.

The court ruled this in an order released on Saturday on petitions regarding different environmental issues. Previously, the judge had sought reports from the federal and provincial governments about the compliance of environmental regulations in the project.

On last hearing, a law officer had submitted the relevant record of the EIA report prepared in respect of Ravi River Front Urban Development Project. He also placed on record a letter written to the director general of the EPD on December 30, 2020 by the chairman of the RUDA requesting for information regarding legal requirements for submission of EIA report.

The court also directed a law officer to apprise the court regarding “Naya Pakistan Project” being constructed by an authority, of the measures taken in this regard by the authority to comply with the environmental standards.

Meanwhile, a commission filed its report about steps being taken to control smog. The court also directed the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to launch a campaign against encroachments and illegal parking of cars in the areas of Samanabad, Gulshen-i-Ravi, Bund Road and Allama Iqbal Town (Moon Market) as pointed out by the commission.

The report revealed that 38.72 per cent of the brick kilns operating in Punjab had already converted to new zigzag technology. It said a number of industrial units had been sealed and FIRs had also been registered against the owners for emitting smoke in violation of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s directions.

The commission’s report further revealed that a large number of vehicles had been impounded and fines imposed to the tune of Rs69 million for not conforming to the standards of the environmental protection agency.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021