ISLAMABAD - Fate of the multi billion rupees 'Zeropoint Interchange' being carried out with an aggressive pace, has hit snags after Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to stop the civil works until an environmental impact assessment of the project was done. In a Owing to massive cutting of trees and dust pollution aaused by construction, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak- EPA) has issued notice to CDA to immediately stop physical work of Zeropoint Interchange Project. The construction work of much-delayed Zero Point Interchange was started in September 2008 by the capital Development Authority (CDA).At present the work on the construction of project is in full swing. However, according to sources construction activity of interchange is creating dust pollution and massive cutting of trees, as no environmental mitigation plan was chalked out for the project. Sources also informed that while keeping in view the side effects of physical work of interchange the high ups of Pak-EPA has issued Environmental Protection Order under section 16 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 for directing officials of CDA to immediately stop construction of the project. "we has issued notice to CDA for ending physical work of Interchange for protecting environmental hazards, since December 2007, we were requesting to officials of CDA not to start construction of ZPI, but despite our requests they had begin its construction without submitting of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report to Pak-EPA", said Asif Shujjah the Director-General Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak- EPA) while taking to TheNation here on Monday. He further maintained that in addition to that official of CDA did not obtain environmental approval thereon as required under section 12 of the Pakistan Environmental Project Act, 1997 and EIA Regulations 2000. He was of the view that Pak-EPA considers that environmental protection law is equally applicable to the public and private sector, as the ECNEC also took notice of environmental implications in the development process, and directed Federal and Provincial Government departments to submit EIA of the projects as a mandatory requirement under the law. He said that with a view to stop CDA's officials we had registered a case in the Environment Protection Tribunal (Lahore), as we did not have the Environment Protection Tribunal in Islamabad. He informed that the environmental problems due to construction activities were also reported to the Federal Minister for Environment Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi and highlighted in the newspapers at several occasions. He further informed that the Minister for Environment also reiterated his commitment for the cause of environment and observed that EIA process must be strengthened and institutions be made effective to enforce the law a cross the board. When contacted Member Environment of CDA said that I know about notice of Pak-EPA, but now I am not in a position to say anything. "We want to complete project of Zero Point Interchange, but at the same time we want to protect our environment, tomorrow (today) I will meet with Director Pak-EPA and will discussed this matter for resolving all issues relating to environment.