KARACHI: Environment dept short of staff, funds: adviser
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 14: The Adviser to chief minister on Environment, Noman Saigol, on Tuesday said the provincial environmental protection agency is unable to give desired results owing to shortage of funds and staff.
At a press conference held at his Korangi office, the adviser mentioned that the capacity building and strengthening of the agency and other institutions under the environment and alternate energy department of the Sindh government was imperative to address issues of environmental degradation and pollution.
He said he was making efforts for release of funds and appointment of technical staff so that environmental programmes could be run effectively throughout the province.
"The Sindh government should allocate an amount equal to 30 per cent of its health budget for the environment and alternate energy department," he replied to a question, saying that the amount could only help the department enforce environmental rules and check polluters properly.
Flanked by the secretary of the Sindh environment department, Shamsul Haq Memon, and Director General, SEPA Shafique Ahmad Khuso, Mr Saigol told media men that the SEPA was highly understaffed.
Mr Shafique said that against our requirement of about 152 field officers/environmental inspectors, the government very recently approved only 10 such posts, which were yet to be filled, adding that SEPA needed as many as 275 employees for its existing and future offices and laboratories throughout the province.
Mr Saigol mentioned that his department realized the menace of air and noise pollution and that was why it had already initiated efforts to overcome the problems with the collaboration of various bodies and agencies, including the city government, traffic police, NGOs and industrialists.
"We are not only educating people and increasing their level of awareness about environmental issues, but also taking measures to improve the quality of air and water in the city and other places," the adviser added.
He viewed that the fitness centres available to check the condition of vehicles on roads were not up to the mark and failed to meet international or environmental standards.
"At present, we are running a consultative campaign to make drivers of rickshaws and other faulty and old vehicles realize how badly they are threatening human life," he added. He said that authorities did not want to go all-out against such vehicles since it involved employment of thousands of people.
He hinted that the government could arrange loans and other packages from banks and other institutions for those who wanted to adopt four-stroke engines instead of two-stroke ones, while on the other hand, industrialists would also be approached to introduce four-stroke rickshaws and CNG-vehicles and stop producing two stroke engines.
He mentioned that the government was working to get rid of smoke emitting and noisy vehicles, unsafe disposal of industrial waste, untreated water, and hospital waste on priority basis, adding that visible changes in this regard could be seen in a six months time.
He stressed the need for compliance of environment related legal provisions and by-laws and willingness on the part of politicians and various government bodies. "Only deeds will contribute towards a better environment; mere words are insufficient," he added.
