ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has issued 12 Environmental Protection Orders (EPO) during 2017-18 to different polluters and violators of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
According to senior officials of Pak-EPA, the EPO was issued to different organizations including Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), developers and industrial units under section 16 (2) of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
The officials said that 54 legal notices were also issued to the offenders, polluters, and violators of the PEPA, Act 1997.
“The personal hearing of the polluters and violators also conducted in 39 cases,” the officials said.
They further said that 5 environmental cases filed in the Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT), Islamabad, adding that 7 polluters and offenders penalized through EPT by Pak-EPA.
The officials further said that direction issued to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) through Environmental Protection Tribunal for installation of incinerator and compliance of Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005.
They further said that Pak-EPA from 2004 till date received 92 applications of Petrol Pumps for Environmental Impact Assessment and Monitoring. A total 81 Environmental approval issued to petrol pumps, while 4 rejected and 7 under process.
Similarly, Pak-EPA also received 133 applications of CNG Stations for Environmental Impact Assessment. The Environmental approvals were issued to all 133 CNG stations by the authority.
However, the officials said that there is no provision for the maintenance of Laboratories, monitoring and filed activities.
Pak-EPA has allocated an amount of Rs.46.213 million in the financial year 2018-19. According to the budget Rs. 30.369 million spent on the employees related expenses, Rs.11.296 millions operating expenses, Rs 2.022 million physical assets and an amount of Rs. 1.356 million for the repair and maintenance.
