ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The district administrations and provincial governments have failed to implement the Environment Act despite unprecedented increase in pollution and subsequent risks to human health.
This was stated by Minister for Environment Maj (retired) Tahir Iqbal while speaking at a workshop at a local hotel on Thursday. The workshop, 'Strengthening the Institution of Motor Vehicle Examiner (MVE) in Pakistan', was jointly organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and National Energy Conservation Centre (Enercon).
It was held to discuss the salient features of a study earlier conducted on strengthening of the existing state of MVE in the country under the Fuel Efficiency in Road Transport Sector (FERTS) project. The project is being executed by the UNDP in conjunction with Enercon, Ministry of Environment.
"Since the 1980s, vehicles on road have increased by 600 per cent. Only three to four per cent or 377,000 vehicles are inspected every year. In the 110 districts there are only 72 MVEs to inspect six to seven million vehicles," the minister said.
"It is the responsibility of the district administrations and provincial governments to enforce the Environment Act which is in place but not implemented on ground," he added.
Mr Iqbal said environmental hazards were worse and health risks much higher in other big cities like Karachi and Lahore where people inhaled carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Nonetheless, the government was aware of the importance of MVE and cognizant of its present poor state and as a first step towards its improvement, the government had allocated Rs28 million for establishment of a Model Vehicle Inspection and Certification Centre in Islamabad.
"The rest of the world has today enforced strict laws and has reduced emission from vehicles and factories by 70 to 80 per cent," he said. The minister said the government had provided another Rs40 million for the project titled National Awareness Campaign on Energy Efficiency and Environment Protection.
The objective of the project is to create awareness and inculcate the habit among people for conservation of energy and care for their own environment by efficient use of fuel and energy in the country, he said.
Mr Iqbal said the government was making best efforts to manage road traffic, reduce sulphur in diesel and promote use of CNG. He invited suggestions from Enercon and stakeholders to make effective contributions and come up with plans and policies to assist the government to safeguard people's health and protect environment.
