Restructuring of EPA planned

LAHORE

Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Punjab has planned massive restructuring in the department in which about 300 new posts, including 50 experts will be created across the province.

As a result of this proposed restructuring, the department out of its present total strength of 364 posts will retain 173 posts, including 42 officers and 131 officials. However, EPA Director General Dr Javed Iqbal while talking with The News claimed that no officer/official would become jobless in the aftermath of this restructuring. He said the restructuring was being done to strengthen the department’s working.

A copy of EPD’s restructuring summary, submitted to the chief minister is also available with The News. The document entitled as Restructuring of EPA Punjab revealed that a Project Management Unit (PMU) would also be created in the agency and high quality human resource would be hired for laboratories while the present staff may be adjusted elsewhere or even sent to surplus pool, if needed.

In the document, EPA said that a meeting of restructuring committee was held on 17/6/16 and 21/06/16 which suggested the government to revise the EPA’s service, promotion and recruitment rules as presently direct recruitment ratio in EPA is 80:20, which should be reversed so that more posts are filled through direct recruitment. “The vacant posts of directors may also be considered for recruiting experts on market salaries,” the document revealed.

“Restructuring proposal retains 173 posts: 42 posts of officers and 131 posts of officials of the existing structure. This will incur a per annum saving of Rs67 million on pay and allowances,” the document revealed. On the other hand, the summary further revealed that creation of new posts on market salaries would incur an annual expenditure of about Rs300 million in respect of pay and allowances. Restructuring of EPA has also proposed upgrading the post of Director (Monitoring, Laboratories and Implementation) as Additional Director General EPA. This post would be in BS 19/20 while the post of Director (Administration, Legal and Coordination) will be designated as Director (Prosecution). Replying to a question about the new post of Additional DG EPA, Dr Javed Iqbal said that the post would actually help the working of his office and would strengthen the department. He, once again, assured that no official/officer would become jobless as a result of this restructuring.