Senators seek revival of vehicle certification system in Islamabad

Propose tax and heavy fines on vehicles with substantial smoke emission


Our Correspondent May 23, 2019
PHOTO: PPI/FILE

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Wednesday was told that there is a need for at least three more monitoring stations to check air quality in the federal capital even as the body sought a revival of the old fitness checking regime for all vehicles to check emissions by vehicles.

This was sought during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change which met at the Parliament House on Wednesday with Senator Sitara Ayaz in the chair.

Noting that population had increased in the country, and with it the number of vehicles, Senator Asad Ali Khan suggested that old and new vehicles should be categorized according to their age as they were a huge source of hazardous pollution.

“Around 43% of smog which occurred last year was due to vehicles,” he said and suggested that heavy fines should be imposed apart from a symbolic yearly tax of Rs200 on old vehicles.

An official of the Climate Change Ministry told the committee that at the moment, two air quality monitoring stations are operating in the federal capital, including a fixed one and a mobile one. The official added that a request has been forwarded to the Planning Commission for securing three more monitoring stations.

He added that one monitoring station was working around the clock for monitoring the quality of air in the federal capital. The station, the official said, was equipped with modern technology to monitor ambient air.

Climate Change Secretary Hassan Nasir Jamy briefed lawmakers that the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) had conducted a detailed survey of the industrial estate located in Sectors I-9, I-10 and Kahuta Triangle to identify and categorize the number and types of industries.

He said there were approximately 186 industrial units of different sizes. The major industries in Islamabad were steel furnaces, marble and pharmaceutical industries which were being observed by Pak-EPA.

Jamy told the committee that all steel furnaces in the federal capital have now complied with government directives to install pollution abatement technology while Pak-EPA regularly monitors these steel units to ensure their compliance with the National Environmental Quality Standards.

"Every industry located in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) is being taken in the loop for the installation of pollution abatement technology," Jamy added.

He further said that Pak-EPA was working on setting up wastewater treatment plants with the cooperation of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) to tackle water pollution from pharmaceutical companies.

The climate change official added that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, the ICCI and other industrial associations were working together to create the first, model, green industrial zone of Pakistan.

Moreover, he said that until a few years ago, around five tonnes of carbon were released into the air regularly. But now, it had been controlled owing to strict monitoring.

The committee noted that there were some brick kilns and crush machines which were working on the edge of the federal capital but within Punjab’s boundary which were affecting the atmosphere of Islamabad. The committee asked Pak-EPA to play its due role in this regard.

Moreover, various steps were being taken under the green and clean initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Officials from petroleum companies told the committee about that Euro-II quality diesel was being supplied since 2017.

Senator Asad Ali Khan Junejo said that employees working at oil pumps and depots should be directed to wear a mask.

The committee was further told farmers have planted Eucalyptus trees for economic benefits but they require large quantities of water. Hence, such trees should be planted in agricultural lands.

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul replied that the wood of such trees was beneficial for the industry.

The chairman of the committee noted that the Maringa trees were very useful and encouraged their plantation.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2019.

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