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Infrastructure development: Environmental impact

The role of infrastructure impacting economic growth and welfare has been studied across literature intensely during the past three decades. The post-World War II, reconstruction gave us a model where governments used to invest in economies so that an enabling environment can be created for the private sector. Later, however, many experts realized that infrastructure needs to be divided into public works (mainly focusing on construction of infrastructure) and public service delivery (provision of utilities such as electricity and water), see World Bank (1994). While the former in the developing countries still remains a public sector domain, the latter has seen the involvement of private sector (through unbundling of supply chain).

Environment is one of the most considered global issues for a long time. Many conventions, regulations and laws regarding the health of the planet earth and its environment have been developed over the past few decades and are further evolving with the passage of time. Many elements have been identified that impact the environment globally and the situation in Pakistan is no better. For the purpose of this write-up I would like to limit the focus of environment only on construction which is believed to be the one of the major elements that impacts environment. In recent years, and especially in Karachi over the past years, environmental issues have risen exponentially due to a substantial increase in development projects taking place in the city. At their completion, these projects are largely beneficial to the people of this metropolitan city but it is the construction phase of these projects that I’d like to focus on.

During the construction phase of various projects, a number of environmental hazards arise such as dust pollution due to digging and a reduction in trees which might result in reduced bird life and an increase in noise and vibration pollution caused by heavy machinery and traffic jams on alternative routes.

In a news report brought to light earlier this year, it was discovered that prior to the construction of the Punjab Chowrangi underpass no feasibility report was carried out, which not only delayed the project but also caused severe problems for both the commuters and the construction workers. Meanwhile, work on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has also been in progress with the Red Line project estimated to begin in the near future.

Nevertheless, it is commendable that the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been carried out well before time and the report is readily available on ADB’s website for public comments.

The BRT is a modernized, low-cost approach to mass transit that is said to be especially suitable to conditions in Karachi and one that has been the need for decades now. According to an EIA report, at national and global levels, the project is expected to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and provide a reduction in the Nation’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory in comparison to the absence of such a project.

An interesting fact that has come to light through this report, which many citizens might not be aware of, is the key legislation related to environmental protection in Pakistan that has been devolved to the state level, including the Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014. These laws authorize the Director General (DG) of the Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to undertake activities to conserve and enhance the quality of the environment.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) further covers a multitude of potential issues that could arise during the construction of the project. Some of these include: physical resources which further consists of geology, soils and groundwater, surface hydrology and water quality, meteorology and air quality, dust, noise and vibration; And biological resources which include protected areas, land cover, trees and valued flora, mammal and bird life.

As mentioned earlier, noise and air quality and dust impacts occur both during construction and operations, whereas impacts due to vibration are limited to its construction phase. Drainage and water quality impacts can occur both during construction and operations; for the latter, potential impacts occur due to heavy rainfall and the need to keep the alignment, stations and depot areas free and clear of flooding, have been covered within this report.

To ensure recommendations in the study are actually followed and implemented during the execution phase, extensive measures are being put in place during the planning phase of the project and a robust document is being made part of the bidding document. It is indeed heartening to see that this issue is being taken seriously and hopefully in all future infrastructure development projects, lessons may be learned from this exercise and ensure similar studies are carried out prior to digging up roads and making commuters lives difficult.

Zofeen Ihsan, "Infrastructure development: Environmental impact," Business Recorder. 2018-10-21.
Keywords: Economics , Environmental Impact Assessment , Economic growth , Infrastructure needs , Vibration pollution , Global levels , Biological resources , SEPA , EIA , GHG , BRT