LHC stops tree cutting to set up housing societies

MULTAN: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan Thursday ordered for stopping cutting of trees in Multan city for setting up new housing societies.

While presiding over a meeting at the LHC Multan Bench, he reviewed his past orders, issued for the uplift of Multan. He expressed satisfaction over implementation of the orders and asked for stopping tree felling for setting up housing colonies, and taking legal action against builders involved in tree cutting.

The LHC CJ said they had a responsibility to make country pollution-free for the next generations. “No one can be allowed to pollute the natural environment,” he warned.

The city of saints Multan is known all-over the world for its mango trees. Mango trees should also be planted in Multan city, he said. He ordered for plantation of trees at 46-kanal piece of land, given by the Auqaf Department to Shah Shams Park. The Forest Department should plant trees on maximum area, he added.

Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan said that a family restaurant should be set up at Damdama. He ordered that the shrine of Bibi Pak Daman should be restored to its original condition, work on projects for protection of historical heritage of Multan should be expedited, developing a repair plan of shrines at Qasim Bagh to further improve the city's sanitation. He ordered for completing MDA's internal gates as soon as possible, and expediting an operation to disconnect illegal water supply connections in the City.

Commissioner Javed Akhtar Mehmood also briefed the LHC CJ and said that 150,000 saplings had been planted in the government schools and hospitals of Multan division. Two thousand ready trees have been planted on the highways and Rs87 lakh is being spent on rehabilitation of Madani Park.

Deputy Commissioner Aamir Khattak said that brick-kilns in the district were being shifted to the zigzag technology, and the plants causing pollution and smog had been shut down. The waste management company briefed the CJ that it had increased its daily waste removal capacity from 50pc to 70pc. A squad of 50 workers had been formed to clean the city roads and new areas in the city. Recruitment of new workers and purchase of machinery for the company was under way, he added. He said a plan was being made to shift the markets out of the city to solve traffic problems.

Registrar Malik Mushtaq Ahmed Ojla, Registrar Javed Iqbal Malik and Senior Registrar Muhammad Yar Walana, District Administration Wasa, PHA, MWMC, MDA and local government officials were also present.