SC dismisses Balochistan govt’s report on trees cutting

TERENCE J SIGAMONY

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed Balochistan government report on cutting of trees in Pishin district for expansion of Pishin-Yaro Link Road.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh and Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard suo motu, which the CJP had taken in March last year on an application that 10-kilometre Pishin-Yaro Link Road in Pishin was being widened by cutting about 2,200 trees on both sides of the road.

Dismissing the report, Justice Faez remarked that the secretary who has prepared the report is unaware of the Constitution, adding the report is not acceptable; therefore, the author of the report should appear before the court on the next hearing. He said the Balochistan officers need to be educated about Constitution.

The additional advocate general Balochistan pleaded that funds would lapse if work is not started on the project (widening of road). Upon that Justice Isa said that the court has not barred construction of the road, but cutting of trees would not be allowed. Justice Azmat said, “We also want development in Balochistan, but everything should be done within the purview of law.”

The project for widening of Pishin-Yaro Link Road was approved in 2016 by the cabinet and provincial Assembly of Balochistan under PSDP 2016-17. The PC-I of the scheme was prepared by the Communication and Works (C&W) Department. After the survey, the C&W Department recommended to cut trees adjacent to the roads for widening of the road for smooth flow of traffic.

The funds under PC-I for plantation of trees were allocated and the scheme was processed for approval of Provincial Development Work Party (PDWP).

After codal formalities, the open tender was invited and the work was awarded to the lowest bidder. The chief conservator officer directed the district forest officer, Pishin, to issue NOC. However, the engineer C&W Department without waiting for the NOC started work and cut the trees alongside the road.

The apex court on an application from Balochistan took suo motu action regarding cutting of trees and as result of it, an FIR was registered by Forest Department against the concerned XEN of C&W Department and then the work has been stopped on the project since April 2017.

The report said that the Balochistan government has constituted a committee to resolve the matter. It further said that according to C&W Department, the cost of project has been increased to Rs 1100 million while Rs 25 million would be used for the plantation of 5,015 trees.