The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday extended the stay order on the Sheranwala Gate and Taxali Gate development projects until February 9, while hearing an important case related to smog mitigation and environmental protection.
The court directed that work on both projects remain suspended until a comprehensive government policy is formulated to allow for possible redesigning.
Justice Shahid Karim heard the petitions filed by citizen Haroon Farooq and others. Advocate General Punjab Muhammad Amjad Pervaiz, Additional Director General of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), and other senior officers appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, Justice Shahid Karim expressed strong displeasure over the ongoing cutting of trees in the city, observing that no effective measures have been taken for their protection. The court noted that trees were cut even in autonomous institutions such as Punjab University, while there is neither a clear transplantation policy nor adequate awareness regarding it. The Advocate General was directed to personally oversee the matter and conduct site visits.
The court observed that it takes many years for a tree to mature and warned that failure to protect trees would have serious negative impacts on the environment. Justice Shahid Karim instructed the Advocate General to convene a high-level meeting with the Chief Minister and relevant officers to apprise them of the gravity of the issue of tree cutting.
Expressing concern over the PHA’s NOC mechanism, the court remarked that issuing a brief, few-line NOC is insufficient and ineffective for environmental protection. The court emphasized that no tree, or even its branches, should be cut without prior permission, noting that in some countries people are not allowed to cut even plants inside their homes without approval.
The Advocate General requested the court to withdraw the stay orders on the Sheranwala Gate and Taxali Gate projects, assuring that a tree transplantation policy would be formulated in compliance with the court’s directives.
Justice Shahid Karim directed that the transplantation policy be prepared in consultation with independent experts. The court further instructed the concerned authorities to hold a meeting with the Chairman of the Judicial Commission and the PHA to devise immediate and effective measures for environmental protection and to curb indiscriminate tree cutting in the city.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case until February 9 to review the government’s policy decisions and actions.