LHC stays Small Coal Power Project

LAHORE
THE Lahore High Court on Wednesday stayed construction of Small Coal Power Project near Indian border and referred the matter to the chief justice for constitution of a larger bench for further proceedings.
Justice Shahid Karim issued this order while hearing several identical petitions challenging the project.
Different residents of the area and the Lahore Press Club have challenged the project. One of the petitioners Muhammad Ijaz had submitted that the on June 10, 2015 the Punjab government acquired 1,188 kanal and 5 marla land in Moza Khaira and Sultanpura to established Small Coal Power Project. He said it was purely a residential area and more than 1.2 million people were living there. The petitioner submitted that this project was injurious to health of the inhabitants of adjoining areas and a threat to the environment. He said acquisition of the land was also against their basic rights protected by the Constitution.
He added that this project was being constructed in the area of international border with India and this area was declared prohibited by the ministry of defence. He said in such a situation, no project could be carried out against the defence of the country, against the public welfare and at the cost of environment loss.
On behalf of the LPC, its counsel submitted that the plant would affect the residents of the Journalist Colony. He said it would turn the environmentally rich area into a polluted one.
The petitioners prayed the court to declare the acquisition of land illegal and unconstitutional. The project in residential area be also declared illegal and against the human rights of the residential of adjoining areas. They requested the court to stay the construction of the project until final decision on the petition. After hearing the arguments, the judge issued stay order on the construction and referred the matter to the chief justice requesting him to form a full bench to hear this sensitive matter.