Fuel station construction on greenbelt opposed

PESHAWAR: The civil society members have opposed the proposed site for construction of a fuel station on a green belt.

A press release issued by the Karwan Tanzim, National Heritage Council and Sarhad Conservation Network said it was originally natural water channel and was later converted into a green belt and park under the bridge, which connects Phase 1 to Phase 2 opposite the Zarghoni Masjid.

The tender for the auction of this public green park was advertised by Peshawar Development Authority recently.

The communication said having lost so many green belts and spaces by voracious building mafia in cahoots with PDA, in contravention of the master plan and permitting ill-planned concrete structures has devoured the ecology of the once serene township.

The civil society members feared the recent move shall be destructive to the ecology of the area since during monsoon and rainy seasons it provides a natural course for water flow.

The communication said previously, the Peshawar Development Authority ignored similar protests by the civil society and experts not to destroy green belts and existing drains in the Phase 5 area to accommodate Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route. Consequently, it resulted in heavy flooding during recent rainfall, making both vehicular and pedestrian traffic a hazard.

It was pointed out that in Hayatabad there already exist five petrol pumps and constructing another on a green belt is against all norms of civil engineering rules. Second, the area is already congested with vehicular traffic and this shall exacerbate the existing problems, added the press release.