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.
