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NESPAK to conduct EIA study for Kashmir Highway
By: Khalid Aziz | Published: January 14, 2009- Digg
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ISLAMABAD - Capital Development Authority (CDA) has commissioned NESPAK to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for Kashmir Highway as it prepares to kick off the project by next month.
CDA, having cancelled tenders floated for the project in October 2008, has again sought bids from construction firms, which would be opened sharply next week, informed a senior official of the Authority. He said that development work on the project would be started soon after the tendering process is completed. The approved PC-1 cost of the project amounts to Rs 2.192 for rehabilitation and expansion of both Northern and Southern carriageways of the Highway from Peshawar Mor to Golra Mor.
The EIA study is a mandatory requirement under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, to be conducted and submitted with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA). CDA never bothered to conduct the study for the various mega projects it was executing in the Federal Capital before the Pak-EPA, some two months back, banned major works at Zero Point Interchange until submission of the EIA report for the project by January 15.
The Pak-EPA’s decision slowed down the pace of work on the CDA’s biggest single project, which it was executing rather aggressively, and sent a wave of shock in the Authority. The same decision made CDA careful regarding conducting EIA study before commencing development projects in future, said a senior official of the Authority on condition of anonymity. He said that National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) has been assigned to carry out EIA for Kashmir Highway within 45 days.
Meanwhile, the Authority submitted EIA study report for Zero Point Interchange to Pak-EPA on Monday. The report states that the project involves no rehabilitation, as it is being executed on CDA’s own land. Further more, healthy and rare species of trees counting to above 500 have been transplanted to Arts and Crafts Village and outside the work area of the project. The same time, hazardous species like eucalyptus and paper mulberry have been chopped down.
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