LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday ordered federal government to file a detailed reply for not proceeding to Kalabagh Dam construction by October 11, otherwise, secretary Water & Power appear in person before the court.
The chief justice passed the orders on a plea for construction of Kalabagh Dam filed by Advocate Syed Feroze Shah Gilani.
On last hearing, the chief justice had ordered the federal government to file additional comments after it was noted that the comments filed by federal government did not mention reasons why Kalabagh Dam project was not implemented.
As proceedings started Thursday, the chief justice was informed that the federal government did not file additional comments ordered on last hearing.
The chief justice adjourning the matter till October 11 ordered government to file additional comments, otherwise, secretary Water & Power appear in person on next date of hearing.
The petitioner, in his petition, submitted that Kalabagh Dam (KBD) was not an issue of Punjab alone but a matter of the country's survival that was at stake due to fast depleting water resources.
Therefore, directions be issued to convene meeting of Council Common Interest (CCI) to formulate, decide, build consensus and exercise supervision and control of Kalabagh Dam project, he pleaded.
Earlier, the CCI through a reply informed the court that Kala Bagh Dam issue was never presented before it.
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) through a reply had informed the court that Kalabagh Dam project could be built in six years, if approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI).
However, the WAPDA in its reply mentioned that three provincial assemblies including KPK, Balochistan and Sindh had passed resolutions against construction of Kalabagh Dam.
The WAPDA further pointed out that all objections raised by provinces were critically examined with help of proper technical studies." These studies revealed that most of these were biased either on lack of information or hear say", the reply added.
Meanwhile, the chief justice also issued notice for October 11 to federal government, Punjab government and others on new petitions filed by Bashir A Malik and others for directions to take the Kalabagh Dam matter to CCI.
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