Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) may provide assistance for implementation of National Environment Policy Action Plan and Sanitation Policy (NEPAP&SP) to off-set the huge cost of environmental de-gradation at the rate of Rs 365 billion per annum that is 6 per cent of the GDP.
This was announced at a high level meeting held here on Thursday, chaired by Hammed Ullah Jan Afridi, Federal Minister for Environment and attended by Takao Kaibara, Resident Representative of JICA, Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, Secretary Ministry of Environment and the senior officers of the ministry.
During the meeting it was discussed that JICA would provide financial and technical assistance to tackle the environmental problems in Pakistan caused mainly due to poor water sanitation conditions, air pollution, lead pollution, land degradation and deforestation. Particularly, to mitigate the effects of climate change, vehicular emissions, deteriorated sanitation conditions, glaciers melting and air pollution.
It is worth mentioning hare that the JICA has already provided an amount of Rs 580 million out of its commitment of Rs 973 million for the project. The minister asked that the release of remaining amount of Rs 393 million might be expedited. He said that Pakistan has declared 2009 as the year of Environment and comprehensive programmes are being chalked out to create awareness in the masses for addressing the environmental issues.
He said that duty on CNG buses has been abolished in the budget to promote healthy environment in country. The Resident Representative, JICA said that Japan gives utmost importance to the environment sector and would extend all out assistance to Pakistan for redressing the environmental issues.
The minister appreciated the JICA for providing assistance to set up Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS), upgrading EPAs laboratories and providing mobile units for checking industrial emissions. The Resident representative of JICA said that inauguration of the Air Quality Monitoring System and Vehicular Testing Laboratory at EPA would be expedited.
Moreover, the minister said that the government is recently approved a project for establishment of emission testing/ motor vehicle examination system for Islamabad at a cost of Rs 240 million.
He said that the project is based on Japanese model and Government of Pakistan would seek the assistance of JICA to extend this facility at provincial capitals of the country. The minister said that we are seeking Japanese technology transfer to Pakistan regarding water soluble plastic shopping bags and waste dumping as in Fukuoka Municipal Authority, Japan.
He emphasised that federal government, provincial governments and donor agencies may cooperate for implementing the Sanitation Action Plan (SAP) to address these issues. It is of great concern that the Ministry of Environment has declared 2009 as the year of Environment and has plan out the activities to celebrate it. But, paying no attention towards the year 2008 as it was declared as the Year of Sanitation.
Whenever this scribe has contacted the officials of Ministry of Environment to probe into the activities being planned by the ministry to celebrate the year of sanitation, however they always replied that they were in a consultation process and it will take time to plan the activities, despite the fact that half of the year has been passed.
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