ISLAMABAD, May 25: The government is lacking political commitment in protecting environmental concerns in its developmental programmes both at macro and micro levels.

This was observed by Dr Mohammad Irfan Khan, chairman department of environmental sciences at the International Islamic University, during a presentation at the Pakistan Engineering Council’s auditorium.

He was invited to address a select gathering of engineers of the twin cities from various departments who are actively involved in development projects of various natures.

Substantiating his observation, Dr Irfan said the Planning Commission of the government in its revised PC-I performa had deleted part ‘D’ which was on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that clearly showed the perception prevailed at the top level.

However, according to an Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) decision took on July 27, 2004 “in case of development projects having environmental implication, an EIA report should invariably be submitted along with the project document at the time of getting its approval”. But the decision had failed to bring about some significant change at the policy making level, he said.

Unfortunately, Dr Khan observed, over the years concerned government agencies could not develop required capacity building to conduct the EIA according to modern lines.

He called for an effective strategy for the capacity building at different levels of government, private sector, academia and other enforcement agencies.

In the past, Dr Khan said, the promotion of economic growth as the motor for increased well being was the main development thrust with little sensitivity to adverse social and environmental impacts.

Highlighting the importance of the EIA, he said that it was a planning tool to ensure that the development process was sustainable, to predict social, economic and ecological consequences of the proposed projects and allowed the systematic examination of proposals.

The EIA aims to provide proponents and decision makers, as well as public, with an understanding of the potential environmental impacts of proposed action, to avoid or minimize adverse effects wherever possible, the expert said.

He said that policy-makers believe that the EIA hinders development, whereas it facilitates environmentally sound proposals by minimizing adverse impacts and maximising benefits to the community. It also provides a basis for the ongoing environmental management.

In response to a question, he said that with every passing day the government was coming under tremendous pressure by the international financing institutions to abide by international guidelines for the protection of environmental concerns.

The EIA is a precondition for negotiations of investments by all international financing institutions and donor agencies such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan Bank of International Cooperation and International Finance Corporation, he added.