NWFP Environment Minister Wajid Ali Khan has said the proposed environmental policy is aimed to achieve sustainable development through protection, conservation and restoration of the environment with the participation of local community in order to improve the quality of life of general public.
He was addressing at the workshop regarding "draft provincial environmental policy" in Peshawar on Thursday. Environment Secretary Hussainzada Khan, Environmental Protection Agency Director General Dr Bashir Ahmad, Chief Conservator of Forests Muhammad Nazir, Chief Conservator of Wildlife Dr Mumtaz Malik, Director Fisheries Ayaz Khan, representatives of NGOs, students and other quarters concerned were also present.
The workshop was arranged by the NWFP Environmental Protection Agency. The NWFP environment minister said that in Pakistan, agricultural land was shrinking due to increase in population and no proper town planning. He said that under the proposed environmental policy, preservation and protection of prime agriculture land, reducing its uses for other purposes and modern land use planning and zoning will be ensured.
He said that the unchecked population growth was putting tremendous pressure on natural resources and considered to be the main source of environment degradation. The government would formulate and implement culturally appropriate strategies and action plans for invigorating population planning programmes, especially in critical eco-system, he added.
Wajid Ali Khan said the government would continue to ensure effective implementation of all bilateral, regional, and international multilateral environmental agreements, protocols, and conventions to which Pakistan is a party, in line with national policies and priorities.
He directed the authorities concerned to take effective measures for providing alternative sources of energy in order to reduce pressure on natural resources such as forests, etc. The environment secretary said the proposed policy needed a lot of modification and should be implementable so as to facilitate the general public.
Dr Bashir informed that about 300 tonnes solid waste remain un-lifted by municipal committees in Peshawar city resulting dangerous diseases. He said the government apart from installing effluent treatment plants would also implement master plans for treatment of municipal and industrial effluent in urban and rural areas.
He said under the proposed policy the government would increase allocation for provision of clean air and water to reduce the medical bills of poor communities. "The poor communities are living in degraded environment and using contaminated water and air", he remarked. Thorough discussions were carried out regarding environmental policy in the workshop and necessary amendments were proposed.