Senate Standing Sub-Committee on Climate Change, on Monday, conducted a visit of the water channels (Nullahs) across Islamabad to assess their environmental condition. The team was headed by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
Members of the subcommittee also visited a proposed landfill site in Sangjani to dump garbage of the capital city.
It was noted with concern, however, that no proper sanitation system was in place citywide, in both encroachments (Kachi Abadi) as well as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) planned sectors. Those who voiced concerns over the current system of sanitation and garbage disposal included Senator Sayed, Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, along with representatives of civil society Green Fora, Cristina Afridi and Dr Dushka Syed.
It was decided that in a future meeting, the sub-committee would invite all stakeholders to present their views. The committee would also ask representatives from government departments to present their plans regarding how to mitigate the situation and planned timelines.
The sub-committee was informed that as many as 20 Nullahs of Islamabad sector had similar problems–whether in posh localities or katchi abadis–of unplanned construction without proper sewerage, sanitation facilities and even a nullah management system. During their visit to the proposed landfill site, the panel was given a briefing by CDA Planning Member about the saga of the 125-acres landfill site, selected earlier in 2004, close to Islamabad. Therein, a foreign donor was said to have even promised a grant while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had accorded the NOC.
However, he added that the project was shelved in 2010 as the land was given to a developer. Senator Sayed termed this “an act of criminal negligence done to protect vested interests at the expense of the people of Islamabad.”
He noted that the Senate would ensure the selection of the landfill site as well as creating Islamabad a plastic-free zone in 2019. The sub-committee was accompanied by EPA Director General, Admin Director and CDA Environment Director.
