ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Federal Minister for Environment Omar Asghar Khan said the country was suffering a loss of about $1.8 billion due to environmental degradation.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Environment Report 2001 here on Monday, the minister said additional funds would be generated from internal resources as well as from donor agencies to finance the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP).
The report was launched after signing of an agreement between the ministry of environment and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Under the agreement, the UNDP will provide $42.78 million for implementation of National Environment Action Plan.
He said the NEAP had four key areas of focus: availability of clean drinking water, clean air, solid waste management and eco-system management. He said the ministry of environment was working in collaboration with other ministries to achieve its objectives.
He regretted the level of air pollution was above acceptable limit of six per cent in big cities, the water standard was dismal and approximately only 50 per cent of all solid waste was collected and disposed.
Mr Khan admitted the ministry was faced with major problems and the success rate of policy implementation was hard to quantify. “But there are laws, systems and some good practices”, he said.
He said legal action would be taken against local industries failing to comply with National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS). Two environmental tribunals had already been established for this purpose, the minister added.
To bring air pollution to the permissible level, diesel and sulphur would be gradually phased out to be replaced by CNG- powered vehicles, he said. The lowest tariff slab had been imposed on imports of CNG kits and efforts were underway to start local manufacturing of kits, Mr Khan said.
Similarly, an alternative source of fuel would have to be provided to the people to check felling of trees.
He said the government was planning to involve media in creating awareness among the people about the environment-related issues and an Environmental Awareness Programme had already been launched in partnership with Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation some two years ago.
APP ADDS: Poverty, he maintained, was the main cause of environmental pollution. Similarly, environmental degradation also caused poverty, for instance in case of drought there was loss of crop and livestock which added to poverty. The poor people, he said, have no choice but to cut forest to survive as they c not afford gas or have no access to it.
The first area on which the ministry of environment is focusing is water conservation. The minister said there were only few places where one could claim that clean drinking water was being supplied. He said this important segment of the plan would focus on availability of clean water for drinking purposes and also management of water resources for continuous availability for irrigation and agricultural purposes.
About the 54-page annual report “Environmental Challenges and Responses”, the minister said it would bring transparency and accountability into the working of the ministries. Environment, he said, had not been high priority area in the past and it was only under the present government that a nexus had been established between environment and poverty.
Omar Asghar said now projects were being approved only after Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Oil exploration in Kirthar, he said, would be allowed after an elaborate plan to conserve environment. He said National Environmental Standards had been notified and fine would be imposed on the polluting industries. This fine, he said, would be deposited in Sustainable Development Fund, already in place in the provinces.
Many industries are getting ISO certification and during the last one year, industry has invested Rs850 million in cleaner technologies. Ozone substance, he said, would be phased out by the year 2003 under the Montreal Protocol.