PESHAWAR: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Khyber-Pakthunkhwa (K-P) has filed 488 environmental degradation cases against industrial units in which 400 have been cleared after completion of legal proceedings through the environmental tribunal.
This was stated by Deputy Director EPA, Dr Amjad Ali Khan in his presentation during a workshop for media persons at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Wednesday.
The title of the workshop, organised under the auspices of EPA, was on “Environmental Issues/Legislation”. Notable speakers included: Director EPA, Dr Hussein Ahmad, Deputy Director Dr Amjad Ali Khan, Chief Analyst, Shamsur-Rehman and senior journalist, Shamim Shahid.
The purpose of the workshop was to highlight the growing environmental implications and create awareness amongst the masses about environmental issues.
The environment tribunal has collected an amount of Rs3.366 million in the form of penalties with Rs 50,000 from each violator. The cases of the remaining 88 were in progress with the environment tribunal. Dr Amjad Ali Khan highlighted the growing causes and environmental hazards through a multi-media presentation. He explained laws related to environmental protection and other precautionary measures for the purpose.
He said that contaminated water is behind many fatal diseases and attributed the growing cases of hepatitis A and B to it. Similarly, he said that poor sanitation is also causing environmental hazards due to a lack of awareness amongst the public.
He said that food served in most restaurants is unhygienic while a lack of proper planning for controlling the growing traffic mess further creates environmental and ecological peril. He said that dumping of garbage and housing waste are also reasons behind the environmental degradation. He stressed the need for implementation of environmental protection legislations.
He said that Hayatabad Industrial Estate near the residential area was established in violation of the environment protection laws while the government is going to construct similar project near Jalozai Industrial Estate and University of Engineering and Technology, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
He stressed the need for establishment of a buffer zone between them.
The EPA official said that the Motor Vehicle Emission rules are not define yet in the country and particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which is another cause of pollution hazards. Chief Analyst Sham-ur-Rehman said that Pakistan is considered a famine country regarding water reservoirs.
He said the capacity of the Indus River had shrunk due to overuse while Warsak Dam is also touching dead level. The diseases of hepatitis A and B are spreading due to contamination of water.
He suggested remedial steps for controlling the contamination of water included establishment of treatment facilities, proper collection and disposal of municipal waste and optimal use of agricultural chemicals, and incineration of hazardous hospital waste.
“There were four water treatment plants in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but none of them is functioning properly,” lamented the analyst of EPA.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2010.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ