Karachi: DHA & Sindh Environment Protection Agency criticised over Gizri flyover

[LahoreEstate]

The Defence Housing Authority and the Sindh Environment Protection Agency have earned the ire of concerned citizens over the construction of the Gizri flyover. – White Star Metropolitan
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KARACHI: During a hearing on the environmental impact assessment report pertaining to the 1.2-kilometre-long flyover in the Gizri commercial area on Saturday, participants criticised the proponent of the almost complete project, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), and the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) in equal measure for the 'contempt of the country’s environmental laws'.

A majority of the speakers, including area residents and environmentalists, said that despite public concerns, technical and administrative flaws, and environmental, health and social concerns, construction of the flyover along Khayaban-i-Hafiz was going on, which was in violation of the rules of the land and should be stopped at least until such time as Sepa evaluates, though belatedly, the whole project in line with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.

Sepa organised the public hearing with its Director General Shakeel A. Hashmi in the chair. The DHA was represented by its director (special projects) retired Brig Iftikhar Haider.

Project proponents told the gathering that work on the Gizri flyover project had been progressing according to an amended design and construction of about 0.9 kilometres had been completed. They said it was likely that the ongoing construction would be completed by the end of 2009, following which the flyover, with a total width of 15 metres for two lanes of 3.5 metres width each on the two sides, would be opened to traffic. Vertical clearance of 5.1 metres has been provided under the flyover.

The proponents maintained that under a verdict of the Sindh High Court, they were authorised to continue the construction work, but at the same time were also required to fulfil all legal requirements as envisaged under Section 12 of the Pepa 1997 as well as the relevant sections of the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency Regulations (Pepra) 2000.

Residents disagreed, saying the proponents were violating Pepa provisions and were also 'disrespecting' the verdict of the SHC by continuing 'day and night construction even beyond the Total Petrol Pump' on main Khayaban-i-Hafiz.

They said the DHA only reported to Sepa after the damage had been already done. There was no notice issued before the project began and neither had they contacted the possible affected residences before the commencement of the project. They started construction in 2007 and submitted an IEE report to Sepa in mid-2008, which was 'making a mockery of the country’s law,' said one of the citizens from the area.

It was further said that the DHA had planned to spend about Rs800 million on the project, 90 per cent of which had been completed, leaving very little room for any true scrutiny of the controversial project.

Sepa also slammed

'Sepa, too, failed to conduct detailed and timely environmental impact assessment proceedings, but we would appeal to it not to allow any further construction of the project as there are many flaws and much misrepresentation of facts that could be addressed and rectified only after an objective study of the entire project,' said a few of the area’s residents.

A couple of others said that the project had affected the holders of residential and commercial plots and shop owners who were definitely going to see a decline in their property value and business. They said shop owners and residents would be deprived of privacy and would have to face social problems as the bridge deck and relevant infrastructure had 'snatched away the open avenue' from them.

The under construction bridge would cause more serious traffic clogs in the DHA area in the future, the residents said, adding that they were never taken into confidence on the matter.

The DHA’s director (special projects) said that the DHA as an authority always endeavoured to work for its residents and its intentions should never be doubted. The idea of the project was to facilitate the DHA residents driving to and from Saddar, he said.

'I personally feel that the project had nothing to do with environmental issues and it is the concerns from 10 to 12 residents that have caused the project to now be labelled as an ill-conceived or anti-resident project, and unnecessary obstructions are being created,” he added.

The environmental management consultants of the project stated that the pre-project survey could not be done by them as the project was already decided and launched on the ground. The consultants mentioned that 82 per cent of the public consulted by them had expressed their apprehension with regard to noise pollution and privacy concerns, and suggested the erection of a wall on both sides of the flyover.

‘Laws blatantly flouted’

A couple of environmental activists, however, said that laws had blatantly been flouted in the name of a public utility or welfare project and the public hearing process was being observed as a mere formality to fill the “stomach of the file'.

The design of the flyover lacked the standard emergency shoulder to ensure safety and convenience of vehicles and drivers, particularly during accidents and breakdowns, they added.

They contended that the flyover would cause more traffic in the area, generating more noise and air pollution for at least a quarter of a mile on each side. They said that a 'tunnel-like' situation would prevail under the flyover, depriving the commercial area of natural light and air. They added that hazardous emissions from vehicles would also gather there.

Sepa was generally urged to 'rise to the occasion' and to address not only the legal shortcomings related to the project but to also safeguard the interests of the common man before granting any NOC to the proponents.

The Sepa DG said that his agency could be blamed for a 'sleeping attitude” but now there was a need to adopt a new way and to hope that the DHA, which is considered to be an organisation run by the armed forces, would not ignore the sentiments of the gathering and would help to reach a participatory decision in regard to the controversial project.

While exercising its authority, Sepa would definitely go to the doors of every affected person, hold meetings of expert committees and would visit the project site further to address the issues and problems as highlighted during the public hearing, Mr Hashmi added. He said participants from the public and proponents’ side had spoken their minds.

He concluded by saying that Sepa would not make any decisions in haste.

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