United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Saturday presented a preliminary report on the environment damage assessment in the earthquake effected areas and has proposed an "Environment Damage Management Programme" worth 25,000,000 dollars for effectively mitigating various environmental hazards caused by the earthquake.
The report being prepared by the team of Disaster Management Branch of UNEP was presented in a meeting chaired by Federal Minister of Environment, Major Tahir Iqbal (Retd) and Minister of State Malik Amin Aslam.
The damage assessment has been carried out on the request of and in collaboration with the ministry of environment and includes interventions for "environmental rebuilding" including clearing of watersheds, reforestation programme and other environment interventions to restore eco-system in the quake effected areas. It presents broader implications of the disaster on the environment in the context of human hazards it poses.
The ministry of environment convened a meeting on October 29 to exchange information on environment assessment and other priorities regarding the catastrophe with provincial and territorial authorities, UNEP, UNDP, IUCN, WWF and others and requested UNEP to carry out a preliminary environment assessment of the entire affected area.
The earthquake has generated unprecedented amounts of waste and debris in various forms, including the damaged buildings and other infrastructure, solid and human waste, medical waste and other hazardous materials.
The disaster management plan includes eight interventions to manage all these type of wastes through different projects of nine to 18-month duration.
It has been mentioned that earthquake is increasing pressures on natural resources in various ways and management projects have been proposed for addressing problems of vegetation cutting, destabilised slopes due to landslides, water contamination and lake outbursts. If not properly handled, these wastes would effect human health, livelihoods and other environmental factors irreparably. The report will be presented in the donors' conference to be held in Islamabad on November 19.
Tahir Iqbal appreciating the efforts of UNEP suggested that report should include complete facts and figures of solid and other waste materials accumulated in the area. He also asked UNEP to identify the donors for the programme and support the ministry in arranging funds.