The Punjab Environmental Protection Council has reviewed a string of amendments in the 1997 Punjab Environment Protection Act (amended 2012) and told the provincial Environment Department to complete their process to make it more effective through the provincial legislature. The council review came on Friday during its maiden meeting with Punjab Minister for Environment Begum Zakia Shahnawaz chairing it.
The meeting deliberated on the Punjab Environment Protection Council Rules, adoption of National Environmental Quality Standards as the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards and consideration and approval of the new Punjab Environmental Quality Standards for surface waters with the assistance of relevant expert. The council also approved standards for treatment of bio-medical waste.
The meeting also saw the presence of official and non-official members of the council including members of the Provincial Assembly, provincial secretaries, presidents of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, representatives of vice chancellor of the Punjab University, the University of Engineering and Technology, the principal of the Allama Iqbal Medical College in Lahore, WWF, IUCN and the Liberty Trade Union in Lahore.