CSOs back KP government efforts for clean environment

PESHAWAR: Civil society organisations (CSOs) working for a clean environment have termed the recent directive by Peshawar Division Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud to take stringent action against smoke emitting-industries a great achievement of the citizens.

A communication by the Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN) and Peshawar Clean Air Alliance (PCAA), which are making collective efforts for a healthier air quality, said on Thursday the citizens of Peshawar had suffered from adverse effects of uncontrolled industrial and vehicular emission in terms of increasing cardiac and respiratory diseases, cancer, deteriorating memory and cognitive functions and loss in economic terms.

It said these industrial units had been operating without appropriate technology adoption for control of hazardous and life threatening emissions.

They are presently in the process of installing air monitors donated by philanthropists to generate real time data of air quality in Peshawar to generate an evidence-based policy, added the press release.

Besides, public interest litigation has been initiated against a few industries operating without a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and in violation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, which is mandatory under the law. The EPA needs public support to implement the policy of a cleaner city.

Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT) have been moved against these industries for operating against a Peshawar High Court order which states, “No one shall be allowed to run Industrial Unit without issuance of proper NOC and environmental Management Plan (EMP) from the concerned quarter”.

The communication said the provincial government agencies should ensure that all air polluting industries like chipboard and steel should strictly adhere to the National Environmental Quality standards (NEQS) and obtain NOCs from EPA which is mandatory as per KP Environmental Protection Act 2014.

As per EPA sources, none of these factories have obtained mandatory Operational NOC. The EPA lab results show some industries to be emitting above 25000 PPM against a permissible limit of 300ppm.

The SCN-PCAA proposed a broad-based commission comprising independent environmental experts from the Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Engineering and Technology , experts from Environmental Science Department, University of Peshawar, environmental economics experts at IMSciences, public health experts, environment law experts and senior citizens.

The communication said the SCN-PCAA members believed that environmental expert and advisor to KP government Dr Shafiqur Rehman was the best suited person to lead this commission which should support the government and the EPA at both regulatory and policy levels.

It said the KP government policy on a healthy environment and strict measures to implement this agenda deserved public support through awareness and advocacy at the grassroots level to make it a success.

The communication said the CSOs planned to support the ongoing clean air drive through public awareness campaigns and media group meetings for a healthy environment and eventually to pass a Clean Air Act KP bill in the assembly.