Wahab agrees to review SEPA Act 2014

Directs environment secretary to set up review committee within a week

Adviser to the Sindh chief minister on law, environment and coastal development Murtaza Wahab acceded on Wednesday to the business community's request to review the Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014 and directed the environment secretary to set up a review committee within a week for the purpose.

The request was made by former Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) head Zubair Motiwala on behalf of the business community during the inaugural session of a two-day symposium titled 'Integrated Solid Waste Management', organised by the KCCI.

Responding to the request, Wahab said, "The [Sindh] government has no qualms if the business community wants to make more recommendations for the effective enforcement of laws." He added, "As we all know, the main purpose of this law is to ensure sustainable development in Sindh through the prevention of environmental pollution and environmental protection, preservation, and rehabilitation. No one should object to this point."

He then directed the provincial environment secretary to set up a committee within a week to review the act, saying that the first meeting of the committee would be held at his office a within a week after its formation.

Read: SEPA displeased at flouting of green laws

Plastic ban

With regards to the ban on non-degradable plastic bags, Wahab said the ban was brought in place last year, following which the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency had launched a crackdown on those violating the ban. However, during the lockdown, the drive against the violators had slowed down, regretted Wahab, adding that action would now be resumed.

He urged the business community to discourage the delivery, sale and manufacture of prohibited plastic bags at all levels, so that their supply to markets could be stopped.

Recycling

Wahab also called on the business community to invest in recycling to control the "growing menace of garbage" and minimise waste.

He said the Sindh government intended to legislate on the matter as well, so as to provide maximum incentives and facilities for recycling.

When asked about rising inflation in the country, Wahab said, "It is true that the responsibility to curb inflation lies with provincial government, but it needs to be considered that the prices of raw material and commodities like electricity and gas are high too."

"How can the prices of goods manufactured from costly raw material be brought down?" he questioned, adding that the federal government needed to reduce the prices of commodities like gas and electricity.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2021.