PESHAWAR, Dec 14: The NWFP government is likely to establish three zonal offices of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the province, official sources told Dawn on Friday.

These zonal offices would be set up in Dera Ismail Khan, Hazara and Malakand divisions.

A summary in this regard was expected to be submitted to the provincial cabinet for approval, shortly after Eid, the sources said and added that another summary, for the establishment of a an environmental ministry, would also be put up before the cabinet. The departments, including forest, fisheries, wildlife, transport and EPA would work under the proposed ministry.

The sources said that the office of director-general, EPA, would function as the central zonal office, which would cover Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera and the surrounding areas.

The EPA had proposed that technical and legal staff be provided for the zonal offices and the finance department had agreed, in principle, to the proposal, the sources said.

The EPA had asked the finance department to create 17 posts for technical and legal staff for the proposed zonal offices, but the concerned department had agreed to only 14 posts. The EPA would appoint a deputy director in Abbottabad office, and the Mingora and D.I. Khan offices would be managed by assistant directors.