ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: International donors will prepare an “Environmental Management Framework” to be used as a guide to undertaking environmental impact assessments for all rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the quake-ravaged areas of Pakistan.

The framework will help minimize adverse environmental impacts and include appropriate mitigation measures in project design.

The preliminary damage and needs assessment report on the earthquake has estimated the cost of addressing environmental needs resulting from the earthquake disaster at Rs8989.16 million.

The most visible consequence of the quake is the enormous amount of debris and rubble from damaged and destroyed structures. There was evidence of haphazard dumping of debris and rubble in rivers adjacent to cities. This has serious environmental consequences, with the possibility of water quality being affected and waterways clogged.

It is estimated that the amount of debris and rubble resulting from fallen and damaged structures could be as high as 200 million tons.

It is estimated that 10,000 litres of petroleum fuel contained in underground storage tanks had leaked due to the earthquake. Such leakage could result in soil contamination and eventual pollution of groundwater.

The practice in many affected countries has been to neglect undertaking complete environmental impact assessments of earthquake damage to ecosystems, beyond the immediate reconstruction needs. But donors observed that it was critically important to undertake such an assessment, considering the fact that the quake-battered areas were in fragile mountain ecosystems and environmentally vulnerable even before the earthquake.

The main environmental impacts from the quake to the natural environment were caused by landslides, which have altered the characteristics of mountain slopes and drainage basins. The topography of the affected areas continues to be modified by aftershocks, some severe enough to be considered earthquakes rather than tremors. A second phase of landslides is likely with the onset of rains and melting of snow.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Sunday launched a Preliminary Environmental Assessment suggesting short and long-term recovery measures to mitigate these impacts, as well as to prevent further depletion of life-protecting ecosystems.

Measures suggested in the report for the next 18 months are estimated to cost US $22 million.

Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam and deputy executive director UNEP unveiled the report at a media briefing here.