The government of Japan has so far provided grant assistance of Rs 509 million to Pakistan for setting up environmental monitoring system. Seven monitoring stations have been established in the federal and provincial capitals, while three mobile laboratories for air quality monitoring have been set up along with up-gradation of existing laboratories of provincial EPAs and a new laboratory has been established for Pak EPA in Islamabad.
This was stated by Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi while speaking on the signing ceremony for launching the project Establishment of Environmental Monitoring System (EEMS) between Japan International Corporation Agency (Jica) and Ministry of Environment here on Tuesday.
Tomoharu Otake, Chief Representative, Jica Pakistan, Khushnood Ahmed Lashari, Secretary Ministry of Environment, Muhammad Ghulam Mahar, Deputy Chief, Asian Development Bank Japan and Economic Affairs Division, Asif Shuja Khan, Director General Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak EPA) and Javed Ali Khan, Director General, Ministry of Environment were also present.
The project will strengthen the ability of the EPAs in interpreting and evaluating monitoring data based on the internationally recognised environmental standards and help the national EPAs in dissemination of information on environment to create awareness among general public.
The minister said that a group of Japanese experts will visit Pakistan in December and will stay here for three years. "They will provide technical training on operating equipment, planning, and implementation of pollution control strategies.
Afridi acknowledge the efforts of the government of Japan & Jica for improving environment in Pakistan and requests for grant assistance for establishment of vehicle examination/emission testing centres in cities to control vehicle air pollution in the Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Tomoharu Otake said that at present the Jica technical co-operation aims at equipping federal and provincial EPAs with the required technical expertise so that they can utilise the grant effectively. "We believe that media can play an important role in creating awareness among masses on environmental issues eg, air and water quality along with planting more trees", he added.
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