Problem overview:
Meeting information requirements: This example shows the adverse impacts of a major motorway project on the socio-economic conditions of the people because an impact assessment had not been carried out prior to the construction of the highways.
Background in summary:
The Pakistan Motorway Project: Recognizing the need for high quality road net work in the country, the Prime Minister of Pakistan inaugurated Pakistan Motorway Project covering the whole of country: from Peshawar to Karachi and Karachi to Gawadar and Karachi to Quetta and Quetta to Iran.
Magnitude of the project: It was a massive project involving 3 major river bridges, 8 interchanges, 27 flyovers, 17 bridges on canal, 39 bridges on drains and 4 overhead railway crossing, 183 subways and cattle creeps, 22 culverts on canals and 73 culverts on drains.
Funding for the project: The project was approved by the National Highway Council headed by the Prime minister of Pakistan in 1992 with 60 percent financing by the Government of Pakistan and 40 percent financing through foreign loans. The project was completed in December 1997 at an estimated cost of Rs. 30.5 billion.
Neglecting to do the EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment report of the project required under section 8 of the then in vogue Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance, 1983 was neither prepared nor subjected to any review/approval process at the time of initiation, construction or even at completion stage of the project.
Consequences are adverse irreversible impact: This motorway passes through the agricultural belt of the province of Punjab and is associated with several positive and negative impacts on the life of the people living in the urban and rural areas along the motorway. Apart from this, the project of this magnitude diverts massive amount of financial resources needed for other priority projects in other regions of the country, with consequent socio-economic and environmental implications.
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