National environment policy approved
ISLAMABAD, June 29: The cabinet here on Wednesday approved the first-ever National Environment Policy envisaging a five-year Medium-Term Development Framework 2005-10 in which 150 projects estimated at Rs28.4billion will be implemented to reduce noise, water and air pollution and to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.
According to the policy documents, work on about 40 per cent of the 71 guidelines proposed in the policy has already been initiated. Rs7 billion have been earmarked for the brown sector, Rs6.8billion for the green sector, Rs4.6billion for sectoral and human resource development and Rs10 billion for the supply of clean drinking water.
AIR QUALITY AND NOISE: To prevent the air pollution and noise, the government would establish and enforce standards for ambient and indoor air quality, enact the National Clean Air Act, ensure effective enforcement of the National Environment Quality Standards and Self-Monitoring Rules, reduce and control harmful emissions through regulatory programmes and regulate vehicular emissions.
The government would establish standards for vehicles at the manufacturing stage, update and enforce fuel specifications, make use of catalytic converters in new and old vehicles mandatory.
WATER SUPPLY AND MANAGEMENT: While developing legal and policy framework for promotion of safe drinking water, the government will also increase the network of water supply and treatment facilities, establish water quality monitoring and surveillance system and a good number of filtration plants. A “Water Conservation Act” beside the relevant standards will be implemented, while integrated watershed management will be promoted and standards for classification of surface water bodies will be established.
WASTE MANAGEMENT: For the sustainable management of mining and oil exploration interventions and rehabilitation of expired mines/exploration sites, a “Marine Pollution Control Commission” will be established besides framing the Pakistan Oil Pollution Act, launching of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
The government will introduce discharge licensing system for industry and devise and implement the National Sanitation Policy and master plans for treatment of municipal and industrial waste water in urban and rural areas.
FORESTRY: In the MTDF, the government will implement the National Forest Policy and provide alternative sources of energy, like piped natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LPG), solar energy and micro-hydel power station to rural areas.
OZONE DEPLETION: The government will establish a “National Clean Development Mechanism Authority,” devise and implement the National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, encourage the use of ozone-friendly technologies and phase out the use of ozone depleting substances in line with the provisions of the Montreal Protocol.