Rotary Club of Islamabad Green City (RCIGC) on 30th December 2009 entered into an agreement with Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Premier Oil Co. to protect, preserve and improve the environmental conditions of the natural streams in Islamabad. In line with the objectives of Rotary International, the Rotary Club Islamabad Green City (RCIGC) has initiated local to global responsiveness for the environmental up-gradation of the Islamabad city, and come forward with the efforts to join hands with Capital Development Authority (CDA) to make Islamabad a model Green City of the World as declared in Islamabad Green City Charter by the Government of Pakistan under the United Nations Green Cities Declaration and Urban Environmental Accord-2006.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in this respect was signed in the Executive Block of the CDA between RCIGC and CDA. According to the MOU this one-year project to be executed in Nullah Lei in 3 phases, which starts near Kalinjar, the base of Margalla Hills at a cost of Rs 70 million, would not only provide some excellent opportunities to carry out wide-ranging research to explore various aspects of the local environments but would also improve the existing and create new facilities for the visitors. The Premeir Oil PLC UK is the main sponsor in this project. Our predecessors who came to the capital in mid 1960s, when the capital was shifted would reminisce the brilliance of the brooks and streams crisscrossing the city. Slowly but surely situation started deteriorating and now almost all of these streams, have turned into dirty nullahs filled with a thick, blackened slush, emitting foul stench. Only because the citizens failed to show admiration for the natural beauty and poured sewer directly into them as well as (CDA) failed to fulfil its obligation and continued to cast a blind eye to this problem until it eventually got out of hands.

Now, on the eve of the Golden Jubilee Year of the federal capital, the Rotary Club Islamabad Green City with the aid of CDA and Premeir Oil PLC UK has taken steps to revive the lost beauty through the project baptized as Islamabad Natural Steam Restoration Project (INSRP). The core intent of INSRP is to conduct the survey of the ravines and identify the sources of pollution, devise biological plan for cleaning and restoration of these water courses. Under this project the plan of biological treatment, landscaping of the banks and development of tourist attraction spots would also be executed in addition to launching a comprehensive. RCIGC also plans to assist the authorities to develop a Restoration & Pollution Control Strategy that would act as a guideline in preparing an action plan for improved waste-water management to protect water quality of drinking water. RCIGC would mass awareness campaign about the issue. The MOU was signed by Member (Engineering), CDA, Abdul Jabbar Malano, President, Rotary Club of Islamabad Green City (RCIGC), Dr Neelofar Khan and Mehran Inayat Mirza, Financial Manager, Premier Oil.

Speaking on the Occasion District Governor of Rotary Usman Masud Khan said that the pollution of these natural brooks and streams passing through the capital city has caused serious environmental problems. Rotary is about “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” and works towards the advancement and benefit of humanity. This is a 3 dimensional project that shall improve and sustain the environment, help curtail and steadily eradicate underground water supply, which consecutively would help prevent disease like hepatitis and polio from becoming endemics. Chairman CDA Imtiaz Inayat Elahi also told the press present at the occasion that signing of this MOU is yet another good example of public-private partnership aimed at improving the environments and outlook of the Islamabad and amounts to be as good as a gift to the inhabitants of the federal capital on the eve of the year 2010, the “Golden Jubilee Year” of “Islamabad — The Green City”.

M Rafiq Qureshi
Secretary RCIGC

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