Environmental laws to be observed in River Ravi project, LHC assured.

LAHORE -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) was assured on Friday that environmental laws would be observed in River Ravi Front Urban Development Project and no construction work would be initiated till the approval of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project. A provincial law officer on behalf of the Punjab government made the statement before Justice Shahid Karim, who was hearing a set of petitions regarding measures to control smog, preservation of underground water and other issues. The law officer further submitted that the EIA of the project had been submitted to the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency. He submitted that the notice for public hearing had also been issued and it would be held next week, in response to a court query.

At this stage, the court directed the law officer for submitting a report about the essence of public purpose involved in the project after petitioner's counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka requested for it.

The judicial water and environment commission also submitted a report, stating that notices had been issued to 16 sugar mills for constructing treatment plants. Whereas the chief executives of the mills had been asked to appear on January 28. To this, the court directed the commission to submit...