The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in Islamabad is the country’s top-ranked state university that has its own identity in the presence of students from all parts of the country. It is unfortunate that university land is under threat by another state entity, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), in the name of Bhara Kahu bypass. The bypass, as designed, will run through the campus, dividing the university into two portions, leaving around 75 acres of university land beyond access.
The students have held protest demons-trations because they are one of the key stakeholders, but no positive response has been received from the administration.
The bypass project is illegal, as it violates the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997. The section 12 of the Act subjects all public projects to proper environmental assessment and to have a public hearing. To fulfil the formality, the public hearing was held on Nov 18; months after the construction work had already started. Additionally, no project can be initiated if it harms the environment. The fact is that the project has already claimed the ‘lives’ of thousands of trees. Besides, the project is against the capital’s master plan.
The land that is being used for the project is meant for the construction of departments, laboratories, libraries and research centres. It was never meant to play host to some bypass. The authorities concerned must resolve this issue and save QAU land for future generations.
DAMAN ALI
ISLAMABAD
from Pakistan Today https://ift.tt/nlITAuZ
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