Islamabad: The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun an inquiry into the alleged unlawful ‘tree felling’ in Islamabad.
An EPA inspection team visited the Garden Avenue area of Shakarparian to verify public complaints about the removal of trees. It also collected details of the activity from officials of the Capital Development Authority.
EPA focal person Dr Zaigham said complaints prompted the environmental watchdog to step in and examine the issue on ground. He said the EPA had formally started investigations to determine the facts of the case.
“Authorities are examining how many trees were approved for cutting under the tender, how many were actually cut by the contractor and whether the process followed environmental regulations,” he said. Dr Zaigham said the EPA had also sought details from CDA regarding the mitigation plan and the types of trees being planted as replacements.
