ISLAMABAD                  -      Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has halted approval of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) new sectors and National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) project on disturbing ecology.

The CDA sectors C-14, C,15 and C-16 approvals were halted as the already built road for the sectors was passing into the vicinity of Margalla Hills National Park, an EPA official told APP on Tuesday.

He said the EPA raised objection that land falling into the vicinity of Margalla Hills National Park should be de-notified in order to avoid damage to the National Park during the development of the newly planned sectors.

However, no reply was received from the CDA and the project was stopped till the proper action was taken by CDA in this regard, he added. EPA official said that NTDC was extending its power structure which was partially lying in the vicinity of the National Park whereas the Director of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board had written EPA to look into the matter as the construction was posing threat to the ecology in the National Park.

Therefore, the NTDC was directed to stop the project and come up with a better implementation plan, not violating the environmental law, he added.

He noted that EPA did not issue environmental approvals to any development project in the Federal Capital without following the criteria, rather strictly scrutinize the project proposals to ensure environment friendly and sustainable urbanization in the Federal Capital.