PESHAWAR, June 19: Lead-free petrol is likely to be available all over the country by 2003 to mitigate pollution Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Dr Bashir has said.

Speaking at IUCN-SPCS round-table meeting at Peshawar Press Club, he said unleaded petrol was only available in Islamabad.

He said the refinery sector needed modification and sophisticated technology.

He said the NWFP government was planning to establish an environmental resource centre to provide information about environment related issues.

He said the EPA was checking about 100 smoke-emitting vehicles daily and a proposal was under consideration to extend the vehicles emission testing station facilities to other cities of the province.