ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and representatives of civil society on Thursday raised questions on Environmental Impact Assessment report for construction of Sessions Division (East&West) complex in the capital city.
During EIA hearing at the project site in sector G-11/4, the environmental body as well as the independent experts pointed out certain unmet target in the EIA report
as the contractor was advised to incorporate valid suggestions surfaced during the hearing.
The EIA report was submitted by Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak-PWD) at Pak-EPA for approval as the entity would be constructing the complex at the said site.
During deliberations, Director EIA Monitoring of Pak-EPA Ahsan Rafi Kiani pointed out pertinent details missing in the presentation of the project consultant and directed the officials to consider public suggestions into the main project execution plan.
He said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had incorporated the provision of rainwater harvesting into its bylaws and the constructor would be keeping in view these by laws during execution of the project.
He also pointed out that no traffic impact assessment (TIA) was done under the EIA Report and directed the authorities concerned to address this issue properly.
Kiani said the justified suggestions should be incorporated in the project EIA and said people can send their recommendations in writing to EPA.
The Project Consultant Ms Sidra gave a detailed presentation on the Construction of Sessions Division and also entertained queries raised by the experts and general public.
She briefed the participants about parking facilities to avoid traffic congestion, water conservation and availability plans, construction court rooms as well as bar rooms for male and female lawyers and solid waste management plan.
Members of lawyers community also participated in the hearing and pointed out certain short comings and suggested to have a compact building project aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of lawyers and environmental impact with an interlinked complex.
PaK-EPA Director Labs and NEQS Dr Mohsina Zubair indicated that this building would have huge public engagement with an increasing risk of indoor pollution and this issue must be taken care of.
She recommended to keeping in view the possible indoor pollution after building is operational as there was already high concentration of PM 2.5 value in the vicinity of the project site.