Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa On Environment, Forests, Wildlife, and Climate Change, Peer Musavir Khan, stated that the provincial government is taking solid steps to control environmental pollution. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province to develop a policy on climate change, and a Climate Change Committee has been established to implement the policy. He shared these thoughts while chairing a high-level meeting during his visit to the Environmental Protection Agency. On this occasion, the Director General of the EPA, Samiullah, along with all regional and divisional officers, was present.
The Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency provided a detailed briefing to the Special Assistant on the ongoing reforms in the agency and the steps being taken to control environmental pollution. The Special Assistant was informed that the implementation of environmental protection laws in the province is the primary responsibility of the agency. The agency has established four regional offices in the province and regularly monitors the burning of waste in industrial units and hospitals.
It was also highlighted that brick kilns in the province are a major source of air pollution, which is why the process of transitioning these kilns to zig-zag technology is underway, with proper training being provided to the workers. Furthermore, the Special Assistant was informed that nine cement industries and fifty steel industries have already adopted pollution control systems, and GIS mapping has been completed for 3,600 industrial units.
Additionally, the Special Assistant was briefed on the establishment of a public complaint resolution desk at the Peshawar headquarters, along with a special cell for resolving public complaints. A centralized monitoring committee has been formed to take effective action against violations of the rules set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Environmental Protection Tribunal has also been activated, and it has already disposed of 3,800 cases referred by the agency.
In order to raise awareness about environmental protection and climate change, green clubs have been established at the school and college levels. The management information system at the Peshawar head office is in the final stages of implementation, and regional laboratories will soon be established in Abbottabad, Mingora, and Dera Ismail Khan.
The Special Assistant was also informed about actions taken against crushing plants and other industrial units. Pir Musavir Khan said that, under the leadership of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, important decisions were recently made to control air pollution and improve the air quality index in Peshawar and other cities. He inquired about the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for industrial units and directed the relevant authorities to provide a complete record of NOC issuance delays, and to ensure that people have easy access to the NOC process.
He further emphasized the need to establish links with NGOs and donors working on environmental pollution and climate change, and to set up a cell for this purpose. He also issued instructions to install cameras at the information desk in the office, link them with the main office, and take effective action against units causing air pollution. Additionally, he directed that the agency’s laboratories be made fully functional.
