Pak-EPA ensures environmental laws compliance
Zartaj
said industrial sector should ensure its obligations under corporate social
responsibility
ISLAMABAD
(Dunya News) – Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Thursday said
the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) was ensuring
environmental laws compliance despite limited resources.
The
Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) was going to provide newly equipped latest
air quality monitors to Pak-EPA for better air quality monitoring and data
evaluation, she said while addressing the two-day Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) report training organized by Pak-EPA.
Zartaj
said the industrial sector should ensure its obligations under corporate social
responsibility and EIA evaluation for community development and ecological
conservation.
“Industrial
sector’s sustainable growth and development in eco-friendly direction is the
core focus of Prime Minister Imran Khan.”
She
added that our industrial sector was not that massive or gigantic like
developed country and was even smaller as compared to the population ratio of
the country. “Pakistan is contributing less than one percent to global green
house gas emissions but still bears maximum burden of climate change induced
natural calamities.”
The
MoCC, she said wanted to work in unison with the industry and Pak-EPA for
environmental conservation, community development and sustainable growth of the
sector.
She
lauded the initaitve of Pak-EPA to engage participants of 20 different
organisation of the corporate sector to educate and apprise them on EIA report
formation and its significance.
The
minister of state expressed that the corporate and industrial sector should
trust its regulators as they were to assist them in adopting good and ecology
preserving practices in their industries.
She
mentioned that it was not possible to bring climate urgency among masses of 220
million population, crumbled economy and developing country. “But Prime
Minister Imran Khan due to his vision and passion for environmental
conservation has raised awareness among the masses on climate change and is
reckoned among the top five leaders of the world leading climate change
awareness at public level.”
Zartaj
said the training was an opportunity and it opened a new vista for the industry
to benefit and grow in sustainable manner along with environmental conservation
and community uplift.
She
also hinted towards strict enforcement drive to be launched in the next month
against plastic bags ban and said: “This time we are going to fine first time
users of plastic bags other than the shopkeepers and manufacturers for using
plastic bags.”
Speaking
on the occasion, Director General Pak-EPA Farzana Altaf Shah said the present
government has given core priority to environment.
The
MoCC was giving unprecedented support to Pak-EPA that helped in strict
enforcement of environmental laws in the federal capital, she added.
She
appreciated the commitment and support of the ministry for Pak-EPA and said she
had accompanied EPA teams during various visits to steel manufacturing units
and other campaings of public awareness. “The SAPM on Climate Change Malik Amin
Aslam, Minister of State Zartaj Gul and Secretary MoCC all are giving full
support to Pak-EPA which is motivating for the environmental watchdog to
perform wholeheartedly.”
She
added that the training session was the second round of interaction with the
industrial sector which was assisted by the Ministry.
The
representative from the participants thanked Pak-EPA for providing training on
EIA report.
He
said the Pak-EPA team had held a candid and collaborative interaction with the
participants that helped the industrial sector to explore a new facet of the
Agency. He welcomed the opportunity to further partake in such dialogues.
