PESHAWAR, Feb 24: The NWFP environment department will set up four vehicular emission testing stations in Mardan, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan to monitor the carbon dioxide level on a daily basis and control pollution.

Provincial Environment Secretary Noorul Haq told APP on Friday that hundreds of smoke-emitting buses, cars and auto rickshaws were plying on roads in the four districts.

He said the NWFP was the first province in the country which would establish the stations.

“The department has banned two-stroke rickshaws, the main cause of pollution, and replaced them by four-stroke ones,” he said.

The official said his department had completed six development schemes in Peshawar, including covering drains linking Phase-I and Phase-II in Hayatabad, plantation in graveyards on Charsadda road and roadside plantation.

“The department has set up environment clubs in government schools and colleges to create awareness among students,” he said.

He said the department had taken steps for disposing of and recycling solid waste in Pabbi, Chakdara, Mingora and Haripur.

“The forest department under a 10-year plan has chalked out a policy to increase forest and vegetative cover from the existing 17.8 per cent to 25 per cent of the total area through a participatory and integrated approach,” he said.—APP