Plan being devised to prevent fire on Margalla Hills, Senate body told

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) informed the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change on Monday that they were jointly devising a plan to prevent growing trend of fire on the Marghalla Hills in summer.

They informed the members of the committee a PC-1 had been approved for the procurement of machinery and equipment for prevention of fire.

The committee was also apprised that the fire prevention plan would be aided by the fire fighters from the local community and the Rangers.

The standing committee was informed that the construction of restaurants in the Margalla Hills had caused contamination of water.

CDA said a water sewerage treatment plant in Sector I-9 had also remained nonoperational for the last ten years leading to the contamination of water.

The IWMB chairperson Rina Saeed Khan informed the committee that notices had been served on La Montana Islamabad and all other recreational restaurants for closure to meet the objectives of the formation of a National Park.

The chairperson IWMB informed the committee on the issue of littering at the Margalla Hills. She said that littering issue could only be resolved through on spot fines. “At present, magistrates impose fines for the littering, the process makes it impossible to fine on time,” she said.

She informed the committee that the Nature and Wildlife Management Act had been drafted which would give powers to the Rangers to fine for littering on the spot.

The committee was also informed that in the light of the judgment of the high court no construction would be allowed in the National Park and it would solely serve the purpose of education and promotion of wild life.

The committee learnt that these hotels and restaurants were also a source of water contamination.

Briefing on gradual progression from Euro-II to Euro-V fuels was also taken up. The committee was informed that 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles enter Islamabad on daily basis.

The committee was informed that Euro V was being complied in terms of import however in the current scenario the refineries present in Pakistan did not have the capacity to implement and were only working on Euro II fuel quality.

Pakistan met High Speed Diesel (HSD) requirement through 60pc local production and 40pc import similarly, Pakistan met motor gasoline (MS) requirement through 30pc local production and import of around 70pc.

The committee was apprised that in order to fully switch to Euro-V fuels refineries, a draft refining policy had been prepared offering attractive fiscal packages to encourage refineries to upgrade and produce Euro-V fuels.