1b trees to be planted by season end: minister

Zartaj says flow of industrial waste into rivers or streams completely prohibited in federal capital

ISLAMABAD:

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir on Tuesday informed the Senate that one billion trees would be planted by the end of the season under the Billion Tree project in the country.

Replying to various supplementary questions during the Question Hour, she said that 85,000 jobs had been given to people under the project.

The minister observed that more than 185 industrial units of various scales were functional in Islamabad and that flow of industrial waste into rivers or streams was completely prohibited.

She noted that all industries in the federal capital were bound to control their industrial waste through installation of pollution control systems.

Zartaj told the upper house that all steel furnace industries in Islamabad except two units had installed air filter in the last two years.

The air filters converted five tons of carbon into power every month which was being used for making artificial items including jewelry, she said.

The minister pointed out that the Supreme Court had made it mandatory that no brick kiln would run without zig-zag technology.

“The government was providing assistance to kiln owners to convert their plants to zig-zag technology,” she said.

“After 18th constitutional amendment, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) was mandated with its function under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 for protection, conservation and rehabilitation of environment in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) only,” she added.

The minister further noted that the Pak-EPA took legal actions against the industries when non-compliance of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 and rules and regulations made thereunder were observed.

With input from APP