Friday, December 4, 2009
Sign the Save the Canal Petition
Please click here and sign the online Save the Canal Petition (thanks to Shahid Mirza of Lahore Chitrikar for setting it up).
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Chief Justice takes suo motu notice of Canal Road widening; orders no trees to be cup
From The Nation, 28 November 2009
LAHORE-Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while taking suo moto notice on an application Friday restrained Punjab government from felling trees for widening the Canal Bank Road besides summoning Chief Secretary, Environment Secretary and Project Director for December 1st at Islamabad.
‘Shajar Dost’, an organisation comprising environmentalists, had requested CJP on Wednesday, who was in the City for Eid holidays, to take suo moto notice of the issue and stop the government from cutting down trees. Their plea was that govt planned to start operation during Eid holidays, without meeting its obligations under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
According to them, Punjab government is planning to widen road on both sides of the Canal from Thokar Niaz Baig to Dharampura underpass at a hefty cost of Rs 3.15 billion and that the project would cause cutting down of thousands of trees.
Read the rest of the post here.
LAHORE-Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while taking suo moto notice on an application Friday restrained Punjab government from felling trees for widening the Canal Bank Road besides summoning Chief Secretary, Environment Secretary and Project Director for December 1st at Islamabad.
‘Shajar Dost’, an organisation comprising environmentalists, had requested CJP on Wednesday, who was in the City for Eid holidays, to take suo moto notice of the issue and stop the government from cutting down trees. Their plea was that govt planned to start operation during Eid holidays, without meeting its obligations under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
According to them, Punjab government is planning to widen road on both sides of the Canal from Thokar Niaz Baig to Dharampura underpass at a hefty cost of Rs 3.15 billion and that the project would cause cutting down of thousands of trees.
Read the rest of the post here.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Road Widening Solution "Fallacy"
"Issue of the Week", by Zaheer Mahmoor Siddiqui in Dawn Metropolitan, 15 November 2009
LAHORE, Nov 14: Road widening has historically failed as a solution to traffic congestion and it is now a basic axiom of traffic design according to architects, town planners, environmentalists, lawyers, artists, prominent citizens and activists.
“Widened roads only attract more vehicles and eventually end up being inadequate for the everincreasing traffic load,” they share the opinion as they were asked to comment on the Punjab government’s decision to further widen Canal Bank Road.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had on Nov 7 approved the road widening project the first phase of which -- from Thokar Niaz Beg to Dharampura -- would be completed in a year at a cost of Rs3.15 billion.
An official of the Punjab Communication and Works de partment told Dawn that work on the project would be started soon after Eidul Azha. “It is the same project taken in hand by the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency of the Lahore Development Authority in 2007 after conducting its environ ment impact assessment (EIA). It was estimated to be completed for Rs700 million at that time but now with minor changes and enhanced prices of cement, iron and labour charges, its cost has increased to Rs3.15 billion,” said the official who sought anonymity.
He said the project was necessary to cope with the increased traffic load, especially due to Motorway traffic, and the vehicular movement towards Raiwind Road.
Over the past two decades, rapid growth in population and vehicles in Lahore has resulted in wor sening traffic situation, said the official, who added that vehicle registration had increased from 52 to over 116 per 1,000 inhabitants while the number of private cars had increased over the same period from 13 to over 100 per 1,000 inhabitants.
He said the traffic volume on Canal Road had doubled in the last four years to over 220,000 vehicles a day, which was almost twice the road capacity and widening of the road would overcome this problem.
The proposed length of the project to be upgraded is 14 kilometres and the improvement plan involves construction of an additional 18-foot-wide road plus six-footwide earthen shoulders on the each side. Resurfacing, development and improvement of service roads (all 18 feet wide), standardising access to/from service roads, construction of bus bays and shelters, development of green areas and plantation of trees are also included in the project, said the C&W official.
Lahore Bachao Tehreek convener and architect Imrana Tiwana, environmentalist Rafay Alam and conservationist Dr Ajaz Anwar argue that work on a project, estimated to consume hefty public money, could not be initiated without an environment impact assessment (EIA) report.
“The project will only add to the pollution in the city because it is an example of automobile dependant development. Investment in public transport over the last decade is negligible compared to the amounts successive governments have spent in elite-dominated automobilefriendly development.
Traffic congestion can be reduced in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. The government should operate efficient public transport and augment Multan and Iqbal Town roads for better access to motorway and Raiwind,” said Imrana.
“The Rs700 million project’s EIA had flaws and was challenged in the Lahore High Court where it is still pending,” said Rafay Alam, also a lawyer. He said if the project had been revised, a fresh EIA would be required otherwise it would be in sheer violation of environmental laws.
“The huge amount being spent on widening of a road can better be utilised for the provision of public transport, education and health sectors,” said Alam while adding that the Lahore Bachao Tehrik and the Darakht Bachao Committee had pointed out flaws in the EIA conducted by Nespak in 2007 on remodelling of Canal Bank Road from Thokar Niaz Beg to Dharampura.
Alam said the EIA report on the project itself said it would have some adverse environmental impacts, including cutting of 1,850 trees, and loss of ecological habitat, a major adverse impact of the project. Other environmental impacts included handling and disposal of construction waste, contamination of surface and ground water, disruption of traffic, deterioration of air quality, increase in noise level, impact on pedestrian bridges, safety of workers and public and safety of pedestrians and cyclists, he maintained.
The EIA report was prepared in haste because it lacked the long-term impacts of the environmental changes to be caused by felling of trees. The sampling procedure, adopted by the EIA, was insufficient and it lacked reliability as it was only carried out for 24 hours and did not explain seasonal variations and other metrological factors. He said in creased air pollution due to felling of trees would badly affect health of millions.
“Increase in asthma, skin infections, heart and liver malfunctioning and spread of TB on a large scale are some adverse impacts the inhabitants of Lahore will have to face after completion of the project,” he maintained, asking what the government will do after the proposed road would be full of traffic.
He said besides questioning the eligibility of the Provincial Environmental Department for taking the EIA out of the project and said the EPD was a provincial department and it could not take the EIA out of a project of the Punjab government. He said the EIA should be prepared by the federal EPD to ensure transparency and good governance.
“The congestion figures in the EIA e.g. 200,000 cars a day are not a valid means of calculating how a road is used; it is silent over air pollution and does not contain assessments of base value, construction phase pollution, project lifetime estimates etc. Only noise and vibration information relates to the construction phase and does not assess the noise and vibration when the project is complete.
“It does not contain an assessment of the visual intrusion caused as a result of the project; it contains no assessment of how ‘severance’ caused by the road widening will affect the community, especially when one area the canal road passes through is the Punjab University and the EIA contains no reference as to how safety and accidents-related issues will be dealt with,” said Alam.
Quoting a World Wide Fund for Nature study, Dr Ajaz Anwar said a number of flaws in the EIA had been noticed during a rapid-assessment research conducted by the scientific committee of the fund.
The WWF research had revealed that the total vegetation on the canal bank comprised 6,557 shrubs and 14,831 trees, whereas the total number of mature trees on both greenbelts was 10,128.
But, according to a Nespak report, only 1,850 mature trees would be cut owing to the proposed road widening, he said. Whereas the study conducted by the WWF found that 5,299 mature trees would have to be cut to implement the project, requiring 18-foot widening of the road on both sides of green belts, he added.
Dr Anwar said mammals like small Indian mongoose and palm squirrel, insects like centipedes, earthworms, dragonfly, different types of butterflies such as peacock pansy and honeybees and amphibians such as Indus Valley Bullfrog, common frog, toads, besides reptiles like monitor lizards and geckos and some rare species of birds such as grey hornbill and yellow-footed green pigeon were also under serious threat due to destruction of their habitat.
“Besides causing all the ecological damage, the project would have serious impact on the health, aesthetic and socio-economic conditions of the residents and vendors of the area,” said the conservationist who had been a senior faculty member of the National College of Arts.
Quoting the WWF survey, he said, 95 per cent of the residents were against the cutting of trees. On inquiring, 30 per cent of them replied that there would be an ecological loss, 28 per cent feared loss of natural beauty and 10 per cent loss of protective function of the vegetation.
“Instead of massacring trees, encroachments occupying the roadsides should be removed in order to facilitate smooth traffic flow. An intra-city high volume bus service should also be introduced to reduce traffic load on the road, besides identification of alternate routes for diverting the traffic with the technical assistance of experts for sustainable development for such projects,” he said.
LAHORE, Nov 14: Road widening has historically failed as a solution to traffic congestion and it is now a basic axiom of traffic design according to architects, town planners, environmentalists, lawyers, artists, prominent citizens and activists.
“Widened roads only attract more vehicles and eventually end up being inadequate for the everincreasing traffic load,” they share the opinion as they were asked to comment on the Punjab government’s decision to further widen Canal Bank Road.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had on Nov 7 approved the road widening project the first phase of which -- from Thokar Niaz Beg to Dharampura -- would be completed in a year at a cost of Rs3.15 billion.
An official of the Punjab Communication and Works de partment told Dawn that work on the project would be started soon after Eidul Azha. “It is the same project taken in hand by the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency of the Lahore Development Authority in 2007 after conducting its environ ment impact assessment (EIA). It was estimated to be completed for Rs700 million at that time but now with minor changes and enhanced prices of cement, iron and labour charges, its cost has increased to Rs3.15 billion,” said the official who sought anonymity.
He said the project was necessary to cope with the increased traffic load, especially due to Motorway traffic, and the vehicular movement towards Raiwind Road.
Over the past two decades, rapid growth in population and vehicles in Lahore has resulted in wor sening traffic situation, said the official, who added that vehicle registration had increased from 52 to over 116 per 1,000 inhabitants while the number of private cars had increased over the same period from 13 to over 100 per 1,000 inhabitants.
He said the traffic volume on Canal Road had doubled in the last four years to over 220,000 vehicles a day, which was almost twice the road capacity and widening of the road would overcome this problem.
The proposed length of the project to be upgraded is 14 kilometres and the improvement plan involves construction of an additional 18-foot-wide road plus six-footwide earthen shoulders on the each side. Resurfacing, development and improvement of service roads (all 18 feet wide), standardising access to/from service roads, construction of bus bays and shelters, development of green areas and plantation of trees are also included in the project, said the C&W official.
Lahore Bachao Tehreek convener and architect Imrana Tiwana, environmentalist Rafay Alam and conservationist Dr Ajaz Anwar argue that work on a project, estimated to consume hefty public money, could not be initiated without an environment impact assessment (EIA) report.
“The project will only add to the pollution in the city because it is an example of automobile dependant development. Investment in public transport over the last decade is negligible compared to the amounts successive governments have spent in elite-dominated automobilefriendly development.
Traffic congestion can be reduced in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. The government should operate efficient public transport and augment Multan and Iqbal Town roads for better access to motorway and Raiwind,” said Imrana.
“The Rs700 million project’s EIA had flaws and was challenged in the Lahore High Court where it is still pending,” said Rafay Alam, also a lawyer. He said if the project had been revised, a fresh EIA would be required otherwise it would be in sheer violation of environmental laws.
“The huge amount being spent on widening of a road can better be utilised for the provision of public transport, education and health sectors,” said Alam while adding that the Lahore Bachao Tehrik and the Darakht Bachao Committee had pointed out flaws in the EIA conducted by Nespak in 2007 on remodelling of Canal Bank Road from Thokar Niaz Beg to Dharampura.
Alam said the EIA report on the project itself said it would have some adverse environmental impacts, including cutting of 1,850 trees, and loss of ecological habitat, a major adverse impact of the project. Other environmental impacts included handling and disposal of construction waste, contamination of surface and ground water, disruption of traffic, deterioration of air quality, increase in noise level, impact on pedestrian bridges, safety of workers and public and safety of pedestrians and cyclists, he maintained.
The EIA report was prepared in haste because it lacked the long-term impacts of the environmental changes to be caused by felling of trees. The sampling procedure, adopted by the EIA, was insufficient and it lacked reliability as it was only carried out for 24 hours and did not explain seasonal variations and other metrological factors. He said in creased air pollution due to felling of trees would badly affect health of millions.
“Increase in asthma, skin infections, heart and liver malfunctioning and spread of TB on a large scale are some adverse impacts the inhabitants of Lahore will have to face after completion of the project,” he maintained, asking what the government will do after the proposed road would be full of traffic.
He said besides questioning the eligibility of the Provincial Environmental Department for taking the EIA out of the project and said the EPD was a provincial department and it could not take the EIA out of a project of the Punjab government. He said the EIA should be prepared by the federal EPD to ensure transparency and good governance.
“The congestion figures in the EIA e.g. 200,000 cars a day are not a valid means of calculating how a road is used; it is silent over air pollution and does not contain assessments of base value, construction phase pollution, project lifetime estimates etc. Only noise and vibration information relates to the construction phase and does not assess the noise and vibration when the project is complete.
“It does not contain an assessment of the visual intrusion caused as a result of the project; it contains no assessment of how ‘severance’ caused by the road widening will affect the community, especially when one area the canal road passes through is the Punjab University and the EIA contains no reference as to how safety and accidents-related issues will be dealt with,” said Alam.
Quoting a World Wide Fund for Nature study, Dr Ajaz Anwar said a number of flaws in the EIA had been noticed during a rapid-assessment research conducted by the scientific committee of the fund.
The WWF research had revealed that the total vegetation on the canal bank comprised 6,557 shrubs and 14,831 trees, whereas the total number of mature trees on both greenbelts was 10,128.
But, according to a Nespak report, only 1,850 mature trees would be cut owing to the proposed road widening, he said. Whereas the study conducted by the WWF found that 5,299 mature trees would have to be cut to implement the project, requiring 18-foot widening of the road on both sides of green belts, he added.
Dr Anwar said mammals like small Indian mongoose and palm squirrel, insects like centipedes, earthworms, dragonfly, different types of butterflies such as peacock pansy and honeybees and amphibians such as Indus Valley Bullfrog, common frog, toads, besides reptiles like monitor lizards and geckos and some rare species of birds such as grey hornbill and yellow-footed green pigeon were also under serious threat due to destruction of their habitat.
“Besides causing all the ecological damage, the project would have serious impact on the health, aesthetic and socio-economic conditions of the residents and vendors of the area,” said the conservationist who had been a senior faculty member of the National College of Arts.
Quoting the WWF survey, he said, 95 per cent of the residents were against the cutting of trees. On inquiring, 30 per cent of them replied that there would be an ecological loss, 28 per cent feared loss of natural beauty and 10 per cent loss of protective function of the vegetation.
“Instead of massacring trees, encroachments occupying the roadsides should be removed in order to facilitate smooth traffic flow. An intra-city high volume bus service should also be introduced to reduce traffic load on the road, besides identification of alternate routes for diverting the traffic with the technical assistance of experts for sustainable development for such projects,” he said.
Battle for Lahore
By Jalees Hazir (in The Nation, 15 November 2009)
The Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved a Rs 3.5 billion road-widening project for the Lahore Canal Road from Dharampura to Thokar Niaz Beg. This ill-advised plan threatens the most valuable asset of the city and will cause irreparable damage to not only the natural environment, but also the unique and friendly social fabric of the city, if it goes ahead. The question is: Why does the chief minister, who does not tire of harping upon his sincerity to the people, want to embark upon such an anti-people disaster?
Read the rest of this excellent article here.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Lahore Bachao Update
Dear All,
I must first apologize for such a delay between updates of Lahore Bachao's activities. One took for granted to reprieve an August and September coupled with Court holidays and Ramzan brings, and the transition to full-time regular hours has been strenuous to say the least. Also, my Facebook account was, for some reason, disabled, and rendered me incommunicado on the various forums I contributed to. I will spare you all the details of the episode save to say that it has been a bizarre Kafka-meets-the-Internet experience but, as a result, I have been very productive at work ;)
Since the last time Lahore Bachao met, much has happened. I must first report that our efforts to raise awareness and attract publicity through the media worked and our strategy to speak of sustainable urban development rather than the specific issues of the trees on the Canal have been successful. The Chief Minister, taking note of the voice raised by Lahore Bachao, formed a committee under MPA Hamza Shahbaz to inquire into our grievance against the road-widening scheme. The committee invited Imrana Tiwana, Tamkinat Karim and myself for presentation. The Director General of the LDA, officer of the TEPA and other government officials were present and, after a productive exchange of ideas, it was decided that we would be given the chance to make a presentation before the Chief Minister some time after Eid. So far, we haven't gotten the invite, but are expecting it any day. On a personal level, it is my reading that the government officials we spoke to, including the members of the committee, were by and large against the destruction of the city's heritage, but were looking for good reasons to reject the canal road widening plan.
Shortly after our meeting with the committee, Imrana Tiwana and I were invited for a presentation by the TEPA and the NESPAK highway engineers who prepared the road-widening proposal. The Director General of the LDA was also present at this meeting and it was an opportunity for Lahore Bachao to once again put its views forward in an informal and friendly atmosphere.
The presentation we were shown was startling. For one, it appears that the road-widening proposal currently being discussed for the Canal road will cost somewhere in the region of Rs. 2.67 billion (and not the Rs. 700 million Lahore Bachao had been told). Second, the highway engineers that gave the proposal also freely admitted that even a road built under this proposal will fail because of traffic congestion as early as 2020. In other words, the road widening project will mean Rs. 2.67 billion spent on something that will (i) destroy the heritage of the city; and (ii) not be effective for more than 9-10 years.
On an more positive note, I must also report that all the meeting attended by Lahore Bachao, the arguments presented for the road widening and on behalf of government agencies have all focused on "counting the trees" (i.e. arguments which have to do with the number of trees cut and the number of water-consuming eucalyptus trees along the Canal). Lahore Bachao more than met these arguments by repeatedly presenting sustainable and environmentally friendly urban planning principles.
I want to take this opportunity to thank every one of you who took the time out to volunteer to raise media awareness, attend meetings and events and provide momentum to the effort to protect our city. Although a final decision regarding the Canal is yet to be taken, it is important to remember how far your assistance has brought the Lahore Bachao Tehreek.
I must first apologize for such a delay between updates of Lahore Bachao's activities. One took for granted to reprieve an August and September coupled with Court holidays and Ramzan brings, and the transition to full-time regular hours has been strenuous to say the least. Also, my Facebook account was, for some reason, disabled, and rendered me incommunicado on the various forums I contributed to. I will spare you all the details of the episode save to say that it has been a bizarre Kafka-meets-the-Internet experience but, as a result, I have been very productive at work ;)
Since the last time Lahore Bachao met, much has happened. I must first report that our efforts to raise awareness and attract publicity through the media worked and our strategy to speak of sustainable urban development rather than the specific issues of the trees on the Canal have been successful. The Chief Minister, taking note of the voice raised by Lahore Bachao, formed a committee under MPA Hamza Shahbaz to inquire into our grievance against the road-widening scheme. The committee invited Imrana Tiwana, Tamkinat Karim and myself for presentation. The Director General of the LDA, officer of the TEPA and other government officials were present and, after a productive exchange of ideas, it was decided that we would be given the chance to make a presentation before the Chief Minister some time after Eid. So far, we haven't gotten the invite, but are expecting it any day. On a personal level, it is my reading that the government officials we spoke to, including the members of the committee, were by and large against the destruction of the city's heritage, but were looking for good reasons to reject the canal road widening plan.
Shortly after our meeting with the committee, Imrana Tiwana and I were invited for a presentation by the TEPA and the NESPAK highway engineers who prepared the road-widening proposal. The Director General of the LDA was also present at this meeting and it was an opportunity for Lahore Bachao to once again put its views forward in an informal and friendly atmosphere.
The presentation we were shown was startling. For one, it appears that the road-widening proposal currently being discussed for the Canal road will cost somewhere in the region of Rs. 2.67 billion (and not the Rs. 700 million Lahore Bachao had been told). Second, the highway engineers that gave the proposal also freely admitted that even a road built under this proposal will fail because of traffic congestion as early as 2020. In other words, the road widening project will mean Rs. 2.67 billion spent on something that will (i) destroy the heritage of the city; and (ii) not be effective for more than 9-10 years.
On an more positive note, I must also report that all the meeting attended by Lahore Bachao, the arguments presented for the road widening and on behalf of government agencies have all focused on "counting the trees" (i.e. arguments which have to do with the number of trees cut and the number of water-consuming eucalyptus trees along the Canal). Lahore Bachao more than met these arguments by repeatedly presenting sustainable and environmentally friendly urban planning principles.
I want to take this opportunity to thank every one of you who took the time out to volunteer to raise media awareness, attend meetings and events and provide momentum to the effort to protect our city. Although a final decision regarding the Canal is yet to be taken, it is important to remember how far your assistance has brought the Lahore Bachao Tehreek.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Saving the canal
Editoral from The News
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The canal that runs through Lahore represents much that is good about the city. The shrubs, bushes and tall trees that line it give the provincial capital the greenery that its residents have cherished for centuries. The waterway – even today when pollution has tarnished its beauty – offers a kind of calm oasis in the heart of the urban jungle, where families picnic and fitness-lovers jog. It is these factors that have led a group of earnest citizens to renew their campaign against a plan to broaden the road along the canal which would result in hundreds of trees being chopped down. While the Punjab government argues this is necessary to maintain smooth traffic flow, the 'Save Lahore Movement' argues the massacre of greenery would inflict great environmental damage and indeed erode the very nature of Lahore. Trees marked for chopping have been chalked and placards put up demanding they be saved. The action by citizens including many women and children has caught public interest, with passers by stopping to find out more.
Such civic involvement in the affairs of our cities is vital. More people must get involved. Not only in Lahore but also in other cities such as Karachi, urban planners need to realize that preserving what has taken years to create is vital. Development is not only about building bigger roads or bridges. Putting in place better public transport and enforcing traffic discipline could play a still bigger role in keeping vehicles moving, while also helping to cut pollution and keep intact the trees that give life to our cities and to the people who live in them.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The canal that runs through Lahore represents much that is good about the city. The shrubs, bushes and tall trees that line it give the provincial capital the greenery that its residents have cherished for centuries. The waterway – even today when pollution has tarnished its beauty – offers a kind of calm oasis in the heart of the urban jungle, where families picnic and fitness-lovers jog. It is these factors that have led a group of earnest citizens to renew their campaign against a plan to broaden the road along the canal which would result in hundreds of trees being chopped down. While the Punjab government argues this is necessary to maintain smooth traffic flow, the 'Save Lahore Movement' argues the massacre of greenery would inflict great environmental damage and indeed erode the very nature of Lahore. Trees marked for chopping have been chalked and placards put up demanding they be saved. The action by citizens including many women and children has caught public interest, with passers by stopping to find out more.
Such civic involvement in the affairs of our cities is vital. More people must get involved. Not only in Lahore but also in other cities such as Karachi, urban planners need to realize that preserving what has taken years to create is vital. Development is not only about building bigger roads or bridges. Putting in place better public transport and enforcing traffic discipline could play a still bigger role in keeping vehicles moving, while also helping to cut pollution and keep intact the trees that give life to our cities and to the people who live in them.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
LBT Canal Event Today (20th August 2009)
The Lahore Bachao Tehreek is conducting an awareness campaign at the Canal today i.e. 20th August 2009 at 5:30 pm. We shall be gathering near the Green Belt close to Zaman Park on the Canal. We shall all gather together at Nehr Ghar on the Canal (the Zaman Park side of the Mall Road-Dharampura Underpass stretch of the Canal). The Tehreek will install 50 banners in all along either side of the Canal.
The press has also been invited to the event to mainstream the issue and result in an understanding the core development issue at hand.
Come and be a part of the effort to save what makes Lahore Lahore..
The press has also been invited to the event to mainstream the issue and result in an understanding the core development issue at hand.
Come and be a part of the effort to save what makes Lahore Lahore..
LBT Meeting Minutes dated 19 Aug 09
The meeting was attended by:
Iftikhar Ahmed Mona Rana
Wajiha Hyder Natasha Mohammad Zai
Nabeel Khan Shahtaj Qizilbash
Tamkinat Karim Imrana Tiwana
Rafay Alam Ahmed Raza Khan
Nida Mahmood Amina Jamal
Rabia Mehmood Ammar Aziz
Amir Butt Shahid Hussain
Majid Naseer Noman Safdar
Ahmad Hussain
Iftikhar brought the banners that were printed for the event tomorrow. The Tehreek will install these 50 banners at divers places along either side of the Canal tomorrow. *It was agreed the volunteers would meet at Nehr Ghar on the Canal (the Zaman Park side of the Mall Road-Dharampura Underpass stretch of the Canal) at 5:30 tomorrow 20 August 2009.* Banners will be handed out and sites allocated at volunteers at that time. Rafay Alam and Amir Butt to organize the ropes needed to fix the banners on trees. Amir Butt to bring along scissors etc.
Shirkat Gah’s gesture of generously volunteering to pay for the cost of the banners was appreciated.
It was agreed the media would be invited to the event. Rafay Alam to draft press release and invitation for media to attend. (After the meeting, media contacts were collected. A copy of the media invite is attached, for anyone who wants to invite someone in the media themselves). Rabia Mahmood agreed to contact her media organization to cover the event. Amna agreed to cover the event for her media organization. Hina Shahid also agreed to invite media to cover the event.
Tamkinat Karim confirmed that the Lahore Bachao t-shirts had been printed and will be available at the meeting place tomorrow. T-shirts are available for Rs. 200.
Imrana Tiwana said the Lahore Bachao presentation for the Chief Minister would be ready by Monday 24 August.
It was agreed that Lahore Bachao would host an Iftari along the Lahore Canal on Friday 28 August 2009. The Iftar would be the culmination of the awareness raising campaign. Preparations for the Iftari event would be made at the next meeting.
The next meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at the Variety Books Café in Liberty Market.
(Meeting Minutes taken by Rafay Alam)
Iftikhar Ahmed Mona Rana
Wajiha Hyder Natasha Mohammad Zai
Nabeel Khan Shahtaj Qizilbash
Tamkinat Karim Imrana Tiwana
Rafay Alam Ahmed Raza Khan
Nida Mahmood Amina Jamal
Rabia Mehmood Ammar Aziz
Amir Butt Shahid Hussain
Majid Naseer Noman Safdar
Ahmad Hussain
Iftikhar brought the banners that were printed for the event tomorrow. The Tehreek will install these 50 banners at divers places along either side of the Canal tomorrow. *It was agreed the volunteers would meet at Nehr Ghar on the Canal (the Zaman Park side of the Mall Road-Dharampura Underpass stretch of the Canal) at 5:30 tomorrow 20 August 2009.* Banners will be handed out and sites allocated at volunteers at that time. Rafay Alam and Amir Butt to organize the ropes needed to fix the banners on trees. Amir Butt to bring along scissors etc.
Shirkat Gah’s gesture of generously volunteering to pay for the cost of the banners was appreciated.
It was agreed the media would be invited to the event. Rafay Alam to draft press release and invitation for media to attend. (After the meeting, media contacts were collected. A copy of the media invite is attached, for anyone who wants to invite someone in the media themselves). Rabia Mahmood agreed to contact her media organization to cover the event. Amna agreed to cover the event for her media organization. Hina Shahid also agreed to invite media to cover the event.
Tamkinat Karim confirmed that the Lahore Bachao t-shirts had been printed and will be available at the meeting place tomorrow. T-shirts are available for Rs. 200.
Imrana Tiwana said the Lahore Bachao presentation for the Chief Minister would be ready by Monday 24 August.
It was agreed that Lahore Bachao would host an Iftari along the Lahore Canal on Friday 28 August 2009. The Iftar would be the culmination of the awareness raising campaign. Preparations for the Iftari event would be made at the next meeting.
The next meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 26 August 2009 at the Variety Books Café in Liberty Market.
(Meeting Minutes taken by Rafay Alam)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Govt gets notice on plea against Canal Road project
(From The News http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=193577)
THE Lahore High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Punjab government on an application, filed by the WWF-Pakistan, Lahore Bachao Tehreek and others, seeking stay against the proposed Canal Road widening project.
The WWF-Pakistan, Lahore Bachao Tehreek and 13 other co-petitioners, including the Pakistan Environmental Lawyers Association, Lahore Conservation Society, Institute of Architects of Pakistan and Shehri-CBE, had filed a writ petition challenging the approval, granted by the Environment Protection Agency, Punjab, to the Environment Impact Assessment of the Canal Road widening project prepared by the National Engineering Service Pakistan (Nespak).
The project proponent was the Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning Agency (Tepa) and the project involved the widening of the Lahore Canal Road from Dharampura to Thokar Niaz Beg.
The Lahore Bachao Tehreek pointed out that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) had failed to take alternative routes or transport options into consideration. Besides, it neither properly undertook a study of the noise pollution an extra lane would contribute to nor had it issued any recommendations to deal with severance, health and safety issues related to the construction of a highway in a city.
The Tehreek said that an EIA review and ecological study of the Canal Road, undertaken by the WWF-Pakistan, revealed that Nespak’s EIA had failed to properly appreciate the environmental degradation the project would entail. It stated that the project remained dormant since 2007 until last month, when the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) published advertisements in major newspapers notifying the public of the “positive impacts” of the project.
This was the first time the LDA, under the Shahbaz Sharif government, had indicated its desire to undertake a project originally proposed by the Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi government.
The court of Justice Hamid Ali Shah issued notice on the stay application, seeking reply from the Punjab government, LDA and EPA, and ordered the case be fixed for arguments after summer vacations in the LHC.
THE Lahore High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Punjab government on an application, filed by the WWF-Pakistan, Lahore Bachao Tehreek and others, seeking stay against the proposed Canal Road widening project.
The WWF-Pakistan, Lahore Bachao Tehreek and 13 other co-petitioners, including the Pakistan Environmental Lawyers Association, Lahore Conservation Society, Institute of Architects of Pakistan and Shehri-CBE, had filed a writ petition challenging the approval, granted by the Environment Protection Agency, Punjab, to the Environment Impact Assessment of the Canal Road widening project prepared by the National Engineering Service Pakistan (Nespak).
The project proponent was the Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning Agency (Tepa) and the project involved the widening of the Lahore Canal Road from Dharampura to Thokar Niaz Beg.
The Lahore Bachao Tehreek pointed out that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) had failed to take alternative routes or transport options into consideration. Besides, it neither properly undertook a study of the noise pollution an extra lane would contribute to nor had it issued any recommendations to deal with severance, health and safety issues related to the construction of a highway in a city.
The Tehreek said that an EIA review and ecological study of the Canal Road, undertaken by the WWF-Pakistan, revealed that Nespak’s EIA had failed to properly appreciate the environmental degradation the project would entail. It stated that the project remained dormant since 2007 until last month, when the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) published advertisements in major newspapers notifying the public of the “positive impacts” of the project.
This was the first time the LDA, under the Shahbaz Sharif government, had indicated its desire to undertake a project originally proposed by the Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi government.
The court of Justice Hamid Ali Shah issued notice on the stay application, seeking reply from the Punjab government, LDA and EPA, and ordered the case be fixed for arguments after summer vacations in the LHC.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
MInutes of Lahore Bachao Meeting held on 12 August 2009
Minutes of the meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek held on 12 August 2009 at the Variety Books café.
The meeting was attended by:
Zaheer Siddiqui
Nabeel Khan
Tamkinat Karim
Rafay Alam
Ahmad Raza Khan
Natasha Mohammad Zai
Iftikhar Ahmed
Imrana Tiwana
Rafay informed the group of his meeting with a transport engineer regarding the environment impact assessment report of the Canal Road widening project. He said that the EIA report was flawed because it did not contain surveys the impacts on air and sound pollution the project would have. Nor did it contain any information about severance and safety issues created by the widening of a road (especially in an academic area around Punjab University). He said that he would coordinate with Eram Aftab and have an application challenging the EIA report ready to be filed before the Pak – Environment Protection Agency in Islamabad. Rafay informed that a stay application had been filed in the Lahore High Court to reactivate the Lahore Bachao/WWF Pakistan writ petition.
Natasha informed she had obtained approval from the TV channel and that she would begin filming the 35 minute documentary (on the development and environment issues facing Lahore) on Monday. Natasha and Rafay to coordinate a possible Friday location selection trip.
Tamkinat informed the group about t-shirts. A design was finalized. Tamkinat to refer t-shirt printer to Rafay for further action. Rafay to ensure that LBT pamphlets are gotten from Feryal Gauhar's residence and placed in the packaging of every t-shirt.
Tamkinat also informed the group that a large event this time of year would not be feasible. As an alternative, she suggested a poster campaign. It was decided that 50 banners would be printed displaying Lahore Bachao slogans to be put up on the trees along the Canal next Thursday 20 August 2009. Cost of the banners will be covered by donations from members (members are requested to bring donation money to the next meeting). Slogans were selected and banner designs finalized. Banners are to be ready by next meeting. Imrana to seek permission of PHA to put banners up. Iftikhar and Tamkinat are in charge of organizing banners.
The next meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek will be held at the Variety Books Café at 6pm on Wednesday 19 August 2009. Members are requested to attend the next meeting as it will be the day before a Lahore Bachao event. Media responsibilities will be assigned and your assistance and support will ensure the event is a success.
The meeting was attended by:
Zaheer Siddiqui
Nabeel Khan
Tamkinat Karim
Rafay Alam
Ahmad Raza Khan
Natasha Mohammad Zai
Iftikhar Ahmed
Imrana Tiwana
Rafay informed the group of his meeting with a transport engineer regarding the environment impact assessment report of the Canal Road widening project. He said that the EIA report was flawed because it did not contain surveys the impacts on air and sound pollution the project would have. Nor did it contain any information about severance and safety issues created by the widening of a road (especially in an academic area around Punjab University). He said that he would coordinate with Eram Aftab and have an application challenging the EIA report ready to be filed before the Pak – Environment Protection Agency in Islamabad. Rafay informed that a stay application had been filed in the Lahore High Court to reactivate the Lahore Bachao/WWF Pakistan writ petition.
Natasha informed she had obtained approval from the TV channel and that she would begin filming the 35 minute documentary (on the development and environment issues facing Lahore) on Monday. Natasha and Rafay to coordinate a possible Friday location selection trip.
Tamkinat informed the group about t-shirts. A design was finalized. Tamkinat to refer t-shirt printer to Rafay for further action. Rafay to ensure that LBT pamphlets are gotten from Feryal Gauhar's residence and placed in the packaging of every t-shirt.
Tamkinat also informed the group that a large event this time of year would not be feasible. As an alternative, she suggested a poster campaign. It was decided that 50 banners would be printed displaying Lahore Bachao slogans to be put up on the trees along the Canal next Thursday 20 August 2009. Cost of the banners will be covered by donations from members (members are requested to bring donation money to the next meeting). Slogans were selected and banner designs finalized. Banners are to be ready by next meeting. Imrana to seek permission of PHA to put banners up. Iftikhar and Tamkinat are in charge of organizing banners.
The next meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek will be held at the Variety Books Café at 6pm on Wednesday 19 August 2009. Members are requested to attend the next meeting as it will be the day before a Lahore Bachao event. Media responsibilities will be assigned and your assistance and support will ensure the event is a success.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Save the Canal, Save the City
The Lahore Canal should be given back to the people as a clean waterway and public park
By Imrana Tiwana
Tense, dense, bursting at the seams, polluted, hazy, uncontrolled, noisy, incredibly nerve wracking, haphazard and delirious... Lahore today is one of the most polluted cities in the country.
The canal is Lahore's unique and most important evironmental asset. The canal road widening project proposed by the government must be stopped immediately. It aims to add two 18 foot lanes on either side each with six foot shoulders. This spells nothing but disaster as the central city area, heavily overburdened, needs to be 'de-congested'. Traffic has to be dispersed and moved out towards the 'emerging Lahore'. But the Canal Road is not the main artery of Lahore, it is just a cross connector.
Alternate routes already exist. As Multan Road is widened and freed of encroachments, there will be a major traffic dispersement. With the Ring Road coming in and seeing the direction of emerging Lahore, the Canal Road will be by-passed altogether. Access to the motorway will be further distributed through widening and clearing of Chowk Yateem Khana exit and Saggian Bridge. G.T Road connects to the Ravi Bridge, and they all join the Ring Road, to take traffic outwards, or inwards. This will take all the current pressure off the Canal Road.
By clearing encroachments from several major roads, which are already underway, critically required dispersion of traffic will take place and the link roads of the city will begin to be used effectively as a network. Crucial to the working of the above is an 'integrated strategy' for road and public transport management.
From Thokar Niaz Beg, to beyond Jallo Park, there are over 300 acres of green belt in the form of public parkland. There are thousands of old trees and shrubs along this length, making a green canopy of shade for all, mostly pedestrians and those on cycle and motorcycle. This area has a unique and special habitat of birds, animals, flora and fauna. The tragedy is that untreated sewage and industrial waste is being dumped into the Canal from over 90 points, reducing it to a glorified dump.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) reports that the main cause of increasing air pollution in Lahore is an increase in vehicular traffic, fast deforestation and rapid urbanisation. How then has the EPA given an NoC for the Canal road widening project? The citizens rejected the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) done by Nespak at the 'Public Hearing' held two years ago (the first 'real' public hearing). The EIA was also in violation of the PEPA Act 1977. The EIA itself states that the impacts of road widening will cause irreversible damage to the environment; the only advantage it states is reduction in commuting time. Three years ago, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court took suo moto notice of this issue and questioned the Punjab Government.
The WWF-Pakistan had conducted its own EIA of the Canal Road widening project, and found that the EIA approved by the Environment Protection Agency, Punjab was fatally flawed. The policy to widen the Canal road was actually against the Environment Policy 2005. "The Policy favours public transport, but in the past decade, no money has been invested in public transport." This project threatens to irreversibly damage the urban fabric and identity of the 'City of Gardens'.
Good governance is 'citizen participatory governance', the citizens of Lahore and the government should partner on creating a world class model of sustainable urbanization with an ecological footprint.
It is imperative that a 'Canal Restoration Project' be started forthwith. That the city of gardens be revitalised through a programme of 'Green Corridor Linkages', creating an accessible green pedestrian network. A 'Green Belt Master plan' must be developed to create a network of green zones and open spaces throughout the city, foreseeing the conservation of whole tracts of land and space as 'Ecologically Valuable Zones' kept free of buildings. Special zoning ordinances, public land purchases, designation of protected zones under 'Nature Conservation' and 'Special Green Zone' legislation should be put into place to ensure the continued existence of these zones.
The Lahore Canal should be given back to the people as a clean waterway and public park; this will act as the 'glue' that brings together people of all classes and ages. Stopping the Canal road widening project is the greatest gift the Punjab Government can give to the teeming millions of Lahore.
The writer, an architect and convener of the Lahore Bachao Tehreek, can be reached at itiwana@yahoo.com
(As published in The News of Sunday, Shehr, 9 August 2009)
Friday, August 7, 2009
Meeting to finalise strategy on raising awareness
LAHORE - The Lahore Bachao Tehreek held a meeting to finalise strategy on raising awareness among public about the Canal Bank Road widening proposal. Environmentalists, lawyers, newsmen, civil society members and people from different walks of life participated in the meeting.
The LBT decried the recent advertisement, published in local newspapers by the LDA, regarding the widening of the Canal Bank Road. The advertisement sought to inform the public that the previous provincial government had conceived a plan to widen each side of the Canal Road as much as 18 feet from Thokar Niaz Beg to Mustafabad, and that the environment impact assessment of the project had been approved by the Environment Protection Agency. It stated that no more than 1474 trees would be affected, but that in their place the LDA had a scheme of re-plantation.
“Nowhere in the world local governments spend money in widening roads,” said Rafay Alam, lawyer and member of LBT. He said: “Everyone in the world has woken up to the fact that automobile dependent cities are unsustainable.” Alam pointed out that Lahore had recently been recognised as being the most polluted City in Pakistan. He said that the government had allocated Rs 35 billion for education and health in the previous budget, but had allocated Rs 45 billion on the construction of roads and bridges. “Less than 20 per cent of Lahore’s population has access to cars,” said Alam, “but all our money is being spent on roads that only the automobile elite have access to. When people get sick because of the air pollution, the reason they have no good hospitals or doctors to go to is because all the government’s money is being spent on the automobile elite.”
Eram Aftab, an environment specialist, pointed out that the policy to widen the canal road was actually against the Environment Policy 2005.
“The Policy favours public transport, but in the past decade, no money has been invested in public transport.” Currently, no more than 950 buses ply on the city roads. Ms Aftab also pointed out that WWF-Pakistan had conducted its own ecological survey and had found that the EIA approved by the Environment Protection Agency, Punjab was factually flawed.
The LBT have planned a weeklong media exposure strategy to increase awareness of traffic management issues in Lahore and to make people aware of sustainable urban development.
The LBT decried the recent advertisement, published in local newspapers by the LDA, regarding the widening of the Canal Bank Road. The advertisement sought to inform the public that the previous provincial government had conceived a plan to widen each side of the Canal Road as much as 18 feet from Thokar Niaz Beg to Mustafabad, and that the environment impact assessment of the project had been approved by the Environment Protection Agency. It stated that no more than 1474 trees would be affected, but that in their place the LDA had a scheme of re-plantation.
“Nowhere in the world local governments spend money in widening roads,” said Rafay Alam, lawyer and member of LBT. He said: “Everyone in the world has woken up to the fact that automobile dependent cities are unsustainable.” Alam pointed out that Lahore had recently been recognised as being the most polluted City in Pakistan. He said that the government had allocated Rs 35 billion for education and health in the previous budget, but had allocated Rs 45 billion on the construction of roads and bridges. “Less than 20 per cent of Lahore’s population has access to cars,” said Alam, “but all our money is being spent on roads that only the automobile elite have access to. When people get sick because of the air pollution, the reason they have no good hospitals or doctors to go to is because all the government’s money is being spent on the automobile elite.”
Eram Aftab, an environment specialist, pointed out that the policy to widen the canal road was actually against the Environment Policy 2005.
“The Policy favours public transport, but in the past decade, no money has been invested in public transport.” Currently, no more than 950 buses ply on the city roads. Ms Aftab also pointed out that WWF-Pakistan had conducted its own ecological survey and had found that the EIA approved by the Environment Protection Agency, Punjab was factually flawed.
The LBT have planned a weeklong media exposure strategy to increase awareness of traffic management issues in Lahore and to make people aware of sustainable urban development.
(http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/08-Aug-2009/Meeting-to-finalise-strategy-on-raising-awareness)
Sunday at Lahore canal
A video with few words that says so much. Made by the wonderful Lahore Chitrikar.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Minutes of Lahore Bachao Meeting on 5 August 2009
Minutes of the meeting of the Lahore Bachao Tehree held at the Variety
Books Café on 5 August 2009
Books Café on 5 August 2009
The meeting was attended by:
Iftikhar Ahmed
Natasha Mohammad Zai
Hamid Masood
Khurram Dawood
Shahid Hussain
Sohail Arshad
Rafay Alam
Rashid Mehmood
Madeeha Khalid
Maham Riaz
Eram Aftab
Imrana Tiwana and Tamkinat Karim conveyed their regrets. Action regarding the presentation for the Chief Minister and plans for the LBT Canal event was adjourned till the next meeting.
Natasha Mohammad Zai said she would try and obtain approval for a 30 minute documentary to be aired on the TV channel she works for. A concept was discussed.
Shahid Hussain said he would prepare a short for broadcast for the TV channel he works for to be aired all day Sunday.
Rafay Alam said that the Stay Application against the LDA's advertisement regarding the Canal Road widening would be better off filed before the High Court after the media campaign. He said the Stay Application was otherwise ready.
Madeeha Khalid said the objectives of the LBT matched the CSR profile of her employer. She agreed to conduct a survey of the transport profile of the employment of her organization. Rafay Alam to provide Madeeha with a survey form.
Khurram Dawood said he would publicise LBT and the LBT blog (www.lahorebachao.blogspot.com <http://www.lahorebachao.blogspot.com>) at www.mycampus.pk.
Rafay Alam said he would confirm LBT interview with Ejaz Haider on Samaa TV.
The next meeting of the LBT will be held at the Variety Books Café at 6:00pm on 12 August 2009.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
My Trees, My City
Originally published in The Friday Times.
The destruction of Lahore’s environment is a trend that needs to be reversed, says Raza Rumi:
The destruction of Lahore’s environment is a trend that needs to be reversed, says Raza Rumi:
Moaning about Lahore’s most elitist enclave, GOR-I, is a contentious undertaking. On the one hand, it was, until recently, the best of what the British left us – lovingly adorned with diverse species of trees, home to glorious specimens of ecologically-friendly architecture and an old-world-charm unparalleled for its simplicity and elegance. On the other hand, it was also a symbol of the extractive, Punjab-centric colonial state of the nineteenth century, lorded over by the agents of the Indian civil service.
But when one has lived in those sublime environs, not as the scion of a landed, aristocratic clan but rather as a member of a middle-class, professional family, what is one to do? GOR-I was a lonely plant of sorts amid the sprawl of Lahore, with trees, birds and orchards one would not have expected to find in an Asian mega-city. In the spring, we strolled amid the just-bloomed shrubs; in the summer, amaltas trees and shady, mythical jamuns greeted us at every corner. In winter, GOR-I was a misty, freezing locale, reminiscent of the little hill-stations nurtured by the British while they controlled the destiny of India.
We would often step out of the little lanes of GOR-I and walk all the way to Ferozsons bookshop on the Mall to browse through the new titles. This was an age when video games had not captured the energies of the young, when the internet had not even been dreamt of, and when the television, in those dark years of General Zia-ul-Haq, was a daily booster shot of boredom. This is not the case anymore, for by now one has already mourned the loss of Lahore to rampant and senseless greed, the vagaries of the land mafia and the absolute failure of the civic authorities. It is inconceivable now to walk anywhere along the Mall without inhaling toxic fumes, or worse, being hit by a speeding vehicle. Decay is all around us. Its foremost manifestation can be seen in the way the Lahori elites and residents have slowly poisoned their city.
Much could be said on the suicidal tendencies of the natives in general, for it is not with Lahore alone that we are concerned. Suicide is evident all over the place. From a young, brainwashed lad who blows himself up in search of paradise to a state that is its own worst enemy, our irrational behavior is simply mind-boggling. One had learned from dear Darwin that evolution was about the survival of the fittest. But the global destruction of the environment, now evident in the process of climate change, testifies to how humans have failed to grasp the instinct of self-preservation.
It is absolutely unacceptable that Lahore is the most polluted city of Pakistan. New data with particulate matter assessments reveal that Lahore takes the cake when it comes to air pollution and the attendant dangers to public health. Science tells us that particulate matter of ‘2.5’ variety is lethal, for it is extremely fine; when inhaled, it settles below the lungs and enters the bloodstream. Public health officials say that this can reduce the lungs’ functions and even cause blood-clotting. In Lahore, the recent average count recorded for particulate matter was 122 micrograms per cubic metre, against a safety threshold of 35 micrograms! Lahore’s count is the highest of the country’s five major cities – Peshawar is at 79.1, Quetta at 47 and Islamabad, despite its small population, is at 75. Karachi is doing slightly better than both Islamabad and Lahore, with an average of 53 micrograms per cubic metre.
But does one even really need this data? The problem is self-evident. When standing on a corner of the Mall Road, in a nook of the old Lahore or a cranny of Ferozepur Road, it is amply clear that the level of pollution is intolerable. As children, we entered Lahore and were awed by the wondrous domes of the Badshahi mosque; now, coming in on the GT Road, all we see is smoke. This year’s heat wave, preceded by an unusually warm winter, makes it undeniable that climate change is not only real but is striking close to home; it can no longer be passed off as the outcry of dreamy, Fabian environmentalists.
What else could we have expected, given that there is not a cogent or even half-decent urban plan in sight for Lahore? Let alone a plan, there is not even a proper urban policy; all we have is mayhem and policy chaos. The agencies responsible for city planning and administration are under-funded and negligent. Much is made of our wide boulevards and well-paved roads, but there is no public transport in Lahore. This is the next thing to criminal, as the total car-owning population may be small, but it is still lethal with 1.8 million registered vehicles on the road – the catalyst of Lahore’s environmental holocaust. Whatever ‘public transport’ we have – almost all of it private business – is owned by the transport mafia, which in collusion with the City Police, the Road Transport Authority and other dysfunctional agencies, is more than happy to keep smoke-emitting vehicles on the roads.
Over 20,000 rickshaws roam the streets of Lahore, worsening air pollution levels. The rickshaws are unaffordable for the general public, in whose name the constitutions are framed and twisted, who are the fodder and imagined beneficiaries of democracy and for whom billions pour into Pakistan from international donors – to improve their lot.
There was a little scheme of green, four-stroke rickshaws that operate on CNG, but the transition has been slow and is now trapped in the bureaucratic maze. The new CNG buses are a welcome development, but they are too few and have been launched in a policy vacuum. Until a transport policy with a five- to ten-year horizon is developed, we cannot expect much real success. After all, the other innovations that were launched, such as public-private partnerships for urban transport, were killed by none other than the judiciary. The mafias win everywhere in Pakistan; the transport mafia in particular is very well connected with the centres of power.
What can one hope to do in these circumstances? The state itself is the key to our national and local conundrums. It has already effaced the Indus and Indo-Muslim cultures; now it is attempting, even if by negligence, to do the same to the environment. Who will regulate public goods and entitlements, if not the state?
There have been some hints of a silver lining. The Lahore bachao tehreek, for example, played an active role in preserving trees and saving some green spaces of Lahore. Its activism led to some measure of protection, but at the end of the day, the Canal has still suffered tree-felling for access to the homes and offices of political elites, while administrators take pride in completing the underpasses in record time. Have such measures even helped with the decongestion of traffic? Of course not: stopgap measures are no alternative to cohesive planning in the public interest. Any visitor to Bangkok, on the other hand, can see that despite the huge vehicular population, civic planners have managed to bring down the levels of air pollution. Tackling such issues is not impossible, despite what naysayers in the media and bureaucracy would have us believe.
We do not even have a proper discourse on the environment here. In the mainstream media or academia, the environment rarely finds a slot. Legislators address it only infrequently. Judicial activism, on a limited scale, was witnessed in the past – it managed a few successes, but there are still far too many ‘notices’ and not enough action. Issues like the environment are looked down upon as a concern of the Westernized elites, whom the Pakistani textbook nationalists think should be annihilated anyway to fulfill the jihad agenda drawn up, ironically, by the secular civil-military bureaucracies.
Things in Pakistan are dire. We face the spectre of glacial melt – partly accelerated by the Siachen War – our forest cover has eroded as fast as our values, and our rivers are drying up, when pollution does not destroy them first from the inside. We need policies to help us deal with climate change – attempts to both mitigate it and adapt to it; we need emergency work on our forests, our rivers and our agricultural practices. Without this, we have no hope for survival on this endangered planet.
Why not begin with Lahore? Why not commence with sensible urban planning and transport strategies for Pakistan’s cultural capital, its political nerve-centre? Why not use Lahore to demonstrate to others that this can be done?
I want my trees back. My Lahore must not be destroyed any further.
Water park idea at Lahore canal
By Husain Qazi, published in The News on Sunday 2 August 2009
Lahore's canal is a blessing for the city. There are few cities in the world that are adorned by a canal passing through the middle and for a hot climate the tranquil waters become the paramount recreation not only for the persons playing with water but for the many commuters passing along the beautiful roads that run parallel to it.
Lahoris love their canal. Many of the men would have jumped into it sometime in their youth. The jam-packed canal in hot summers give us an idea about how much recreation it is providing to Lahoris free of cost. During the Spring Festival the beautifully decorated canal provides a visual treat to the thousands of persons who pass along its dual carriageway.
With little effort we can harness this tremendous gift of nature to beautify and enrich our city. There are numerous spots along the canal that can be converted into Water Parks which can provide an ideal recreation to the whole city particularly in the sizzling summers. Fortunately, we have ample space on both the banks and at some selected point we can expand the canal about the size of a cricket ground that can be used for a variety of water sports and recreation. This small lake will tremendously add to the beauty of Lahore and water sports like swimming, boating, water polo will promote a healthy sports and recreation culture in Lahore.
The wide green belts on both sides of the canal can absorb the expansion of road to accommodate the lake. In this way the commuters on these busy roads will also enjoy and refresh themselves while passing along the lake.
As a long distance swimmer and a qualified sea diver, I can safely say that Lahore's canal is a safe canal. Its average depth is 5 feet that does not pose any grave danger even to the non swimmers. However, safety precautions i.e. life jackets and life guards make open swimming absolutely safe and enjoyable. By implementing this culture, Lahore can provide a working model of water safety for the rest of the country.
If the project becomes successful, similar water parks can be constructed after every few kilometer on the 17 km long canal. A water park exclusive for ladies may also be built as there are very few water based recreation opportunities for them. A large lake can be developed over the BRB canal which has wide open spaces along its banks.
Water based leisure activities are very common in Europe and the USA. In spite of the cold weather, people in large numbers enjoy these activities that provide an ideal relaxation to a large number of people. Bathing in mud based natural water is good for the body, spa's and mud baths are increasingly becoming popular due to their healthy and vitalizing effect. In our country gifted by nature with abundant water resources, this activity can be promoted with little effort.
Canal water parks shall also raise awareness for keeping our canals and rivers clean. Lahore canal gets the attention of many environmentalists and they may be invited to join hands with government to make it a model of cleanliness and beauty.
Pakistan has been gifted by an abundance of water resources. Our canal system is the largest in the world and our dams and headworks are scattered all along the country. We have tremendous potential to develop water tourism with little cost and little effort. An initiative by Lahore's development authorities will result in the promotion of water recreation throughout the country InshAllah.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Stop Wasting Money on Roads!!!
By Ahmad Rafay Alam (published in The News on 17 July 2009)
Harbor Drive now
Around the world, strong evidence is now coming forward to suggest that spending money on road infrastructure within cities is a waste of money.
But in Karachi, the DHA is planning the Gizri Flyover, a multi-million-rupee project that will adversely affect the environment, worsen traffic and lead to social immobility. In Lahore, a recent newspaper article suggests that the chief minister has requested the authorities concerned to reconsider the plan, once scrapped after opposition from civil society groups, of widening the Canal Bank Road. In Islamabad, billions of rupees have been spent on road construction in the past few years. In none of these cities, meanwhile, is there a viable or minimally effective public transport system. Islamabad, in fact, is probably the only capital city in the world that does not have a public transport service.
In the decade-plus of its existence, the Lahore Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency has done nothing but build and remodel roads. The result is that traffic congestion is the worst ever. Of course, TEPA will blame the liberal car-financing market for the congestion, as if car leasing was a little-known secret in Pakistan these past few years. The fact is that TEPA and other transport agencies rely on the ridiculously outmoded "capacity vs. volume" argument. In their worlds, the "capacity" of a road network can be calculated. If the "volume" or usage of the road network increased beyond its capacity, the Pavlovian response is to start constructing new roads to meet the capacity.
The "Braess Paradox" establishes that additions to the capacity of a road network often results in increased congestion and longer travel times. The reason has to do with the complex effects of individual drivers all trying to optimise their routes. Likewise, there is the phenomenon of induced demand – or the "if you build it, they will come" effect. In short, fancy new roads encourage people to drive more miles, as well as seeding new sprawl-style development that shifts new users onto them. And the Braess paradox is not just an arcane bit of theory either.
In 2002, when the local government of Seoul, South Korea, was faced with the costs of maintaining a massive double-decker highway that had been paved over the Cheonggyecheon River, it decided to knock the entire structure down. Never mind the 160,000-plus cars that the road carried every day. The immediate result of the intervention was a beautiful new 1,000-acre park in the middle of the city as well as reduced traffic volumes. The closure of the highway convinced people to drive less, choose another route or opt for public transport. The park replaced the slum that had mushroomed under the highway. The mayor responsible for the billion-dollar economic turnaround in the middle of the city (the new park opened hundreds of business opportunities along the banks of the newly greened Cheonggyecheon) is now a major player in South Korea's national politics.
But in Karachi, the DHA is planning the Gizri Flyover, a multi-million-rupee project that will adversely affect the environment, worsen traffic and lead to social immobility. In Lahore, a recent newspaper article suggests that the chief minister has requested the authorities concerned to reconsider the plan, once scrapped after opposition from civil society groups, of widening the Canal Bank Road. In Islamabad, billions of rupees have been spent on road construction in the past few years. In none of these cities, meanwhile, is there a viable or minimally effective public transport system. Islamabad, in fact, is probably the only capital city in the world that does not have a public transport service.
In the decade-plus of its existence, the Lahore Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency has done nothing but build and remodel roads. The result is that traffic congestion is the worst ever. Of course, TEPA will blame the liberal car-financing market for the congestion, as if car leasing was a little-known secret in Pakistan these past few years. The fact is that TEPA and other transport agencies rely on the ridiculously outmoded "capacity vs. volume" argument. In their worlds, the "capacity" of a road network can be calculated. If the "volume" or usage of the road network increased beyond its capacity, the Pavlovian response is to start constructing new roads to meet the capacity.
The "Braess Paradox" establishes that additions to the capacity of a road network often results in increased congestion and longer travel times. The reason has to do with the complex effects of individual drivers all trying to optimise their routes. Likewise, there is the phenomenon of induced demand – or the "if you build it, they will come" effect. In short, fancy new roads encourage people to drive more miles, as well as seeding new sprawl-style development that shifts new users onto them. And the Braess paradox is not just an arcane bit of theory either.
In 2002, when the local government of Seoul, South Korea, was faced with the costs of maintaining a massive double-decker highway that had been paved over the Cheonggyecheon River, it decided to knock the entire structure down. Never mind the 160,000-plus cars that the road carried every day. The immediate result of the intervention was a beautiful new 1,000-acre park in the middle of the city as well as reduced traffic volumes. The closure of the highway convinced people to drive less, choose another route or opt for public transport. The park replaced the slum that had mushroomed under the highway. The mayor responsible for the billion-dollar economic turnaround in the middle of the city (the new park opened hundreds of business opportunities along the banks of the newly greened Cheonggyecheon) is now a major player in South Korea's national politics.
The Cheonggyecheon before
The Cheonggyecheon after
In 1974, after a long and contentious political battle, the-then governor of the US state of Oregon, Tom McCall, ordered the demolition of the four-lane freeway, known as Harbor Drive, on the western shore of the city of Portland. The state's Highway Department was against the demolition. In fact, it wanted to widen the thoroughfare. But on the first day Harbor Drive was closed to traffic, there wasn't a single ripple in the city's traffic flow. According to legend, one of the highway engineers who predicted a traffic catastrophe if the highway was brought down, called the governor's office to congratulate him on the success of the initiative. Today, the space taken by Harbor Drive has been replaced by the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and is an integral reason why Portland, Oregon, which is now a cycle-friendly city, is celebrated as the most liveable of US cities.
Harbor Drive in 1964
Harbor Drive now
In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake damaged San Francisco's Embercadero Elevated Freeway that ran past the city's waterfront. This proved to be the catalyst city fathers needed to bring the structure down. Today, in place of the freeway, there is a waterfront boulevard with cycle trails, parks and public exhibitions.
In Bogota, Colombia, in just a three-year period, Enrique Penalosa placed a moratorium on public expenditure on roads and the automobile elite. Instead, he spent money on a Bus Rapid Transit public transport system, on walkways, on schools, libraries and museums. The result is that even a toddler, once on one of the ciclorutas, can navigate the city unmolested by traffic. Since the ciclorutas are linked to public recreational spaces, the young, old and handicapped, the rich and poor, all have access to the city on foot and on cycle. The areas padestrianised by Penalosa – including the city centre and some of the most violent neighbourhoods in Colombia – are now quiet and peaceful. Air quality has improved, there are dramatically fewer traffic accidents, property values have risen and, most important, the quality of life has improved.
Bogota's city center is now pedestrian friendly
Just last month, in New York City, the transport office decided to pedestrianise the Times Square area of Broadway, one of the most iconic shopping centres in the world. The result: immediate success, with no harm to traffic flows.
Broadway Now
There are plenty more examples, in Curitiba, Brazil, in Ahmedabad, in Johannesburg, of cities deciding to remove highways from city centres, of introducing public transport instead of spending money for roads that are used predominantly by the urban automobile elite.
In 2008-2009, the Government of Punjab allocated Rs10 billion more to bridge and underpass construction than it did to the health, public-health and education sectors combined. With less than 15 percent of the population using 1.8 million automobiles in Lahore, it's no wonder our children regularly contract respiratory diseases. And when you wonder why, or why there aren't any good hospitals or doctors to care for them, remember this: It's because we spend all our money on road development.
If we stopped wasting money on building expensive, polluting, socially destructive highways for the automobile inside our cities, we would have billions to spend on education, health, public transport and recreational facilities for millions of people. It is that simple. Stop spending money on building roads.
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