ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday banned on immediate basis, stone crushing at Margalla Hills and directed the government of Punjab as well as Khyber Pukhtunkhwa to take speedy measures against stone crushing.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah heard the suo moto notice case regarding environmental pollution in Islamabad's Sector I-9 Industrial Area. The court also directed to ensure tree plantation at the areas affected from stone crushing at Margalla Hills besides issuing directives to ensure tree plantation on the roadsides of Express Highway as well as Kashmir Highway and also directed to establish a separate Food Authority for the federal capital.
Furthermore, the court also directed the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) to conclude in two weeks, the cases related to transfer of employees of Capital Development Authority (CDA) and other cases related to Federal Development Institution within a period of six months andsubmit compliance report before it.
The court also summoned on the next date of hearing interior secretary for not ensuring devolution of powers to the local governments enshrined in the constitution. The court directed that interior secretary should inform it as to what steps have so far been taken for the implementation of Article 140-A of the constitution.
Article 140-A relates to Local Government which states that each province shall, by law, establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local governments.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that issue of devolution of powers to the grassroots level is not confined to federal capital but the whole of country as well
At the outset of hearing, the court observed that national flags should be installed in all the provincial metropolitan cities of the country adding that in the federal capital, there should be some 30, 000 national flags, 50,000 in Lahore, 20,000 in Quetta and Peshawar while in Karachi, one lakh flags should be installed.
In pursuance of the court’s order Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI) Mayor and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Aamir Ahmed appeared before the court and submitted that they are going to develop the Kashmir Highway, however, there is scarcity of funds. He said that construction of Interchange in Sector G-8 is under process while in F-7, it will also be constructed.
To a court query, Aamir Ahmed submitted that further tree planation is being made at both sides of Kashmir Highway. To another question, he said whenever he takes action against employees of the civic body, they get stay order from National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).
He further contended that the NIRC should not have any role in halting the posting and transfers adding that mere suspension of corrupt mafia gives no result hence he said he is sending the cases of corrupt employees and officials to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
At this, the Chief Justice said that they will cancel all the stay orders given for halting the transfers. Meanwhile, the court also raised the issue of environmental hazards as well as water problem in the federal capital. Chief justice asked the CDA chairman to make those industries non-functional which are polluting the city.
The Chief Justice asked as to whether the Industrial zone was mentioned in the master plan of the federal capital to which CDA chairman replied that Sectors I-9 and I-10 Industrial Zones were mentioned in the master plan adding that out of 12, 6 steel mills are functioning. The Chief justice, however, observed that result-oriented steps should be taken for the development of the federal capital adding that the reports of the CDA is nothing except good English.
The Chief Justice asked the CDA chairman as to why the federal capital is being so expended. “Whether you want to make the whole capital as an industrial zone”, the CJP further asked.
Replying to a question regarding the water issue in the federal capital, the CDA chairman said that the federal capital gets water from Khanpur Dam while the land is being irrigated on the water, come through Margalla Hills, adding that no funds are required for storage of the water as they have the relevant funds as well.
The CDA chairman said that 25 percent water of Rawal Dam is wasted in the initial stage. At this, the CJP observed that water could be preserved, provided to the city through a sound canal system. “But your canals are filled with garbage and nobody could go there as there is a stinking smell”, the CJP said adding that rich people are residing in their bungalows but they are least bothered to take care outside of their residences and throw garbage there.
The Chief Justice asked the CDA chairman to concentrate on the beautification of the federal capital and should also make the city as a standard place where it should have facilities of walking tracks, parks and sitting places also in other sectors as available to the elite class living in posh sectors of the federal capital. Meanwhile, the CDA chairman sought some three-month time for the construction of canal which the court accepted. The Chief Justice also asked CDA chairman to implement in letter and spirit, the laws pertaining to violation of environmental pollution in industrial area. Later, the court adjourned the hearing for a month.