Observing least interest of field officers in ensuring implementation of environmental conditions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has directed all its field officers to ensure compliance of conditions of environmental approvals (EA) in public and private sector projects and report it to environmental impact assessment (EIA) wing of the agency in case of non-compliance.
According to a notification issued by the EPA to all the deputy directors/assistant directors (field) stated that environmental approvals of the public and private sector projects are being issued from the EPA Headquarters with the approval of competent authority under Section 12 of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (Amended 2012).
It further stated that field officers were supposed to ensure compliance of conditions of environmental approvals but it has been observed that they are not focusing on implementation of conditions contained in these approvals despite the fact that clear directions for the implementation of conditions are always mentioned in every environmental approval.
The notification further mentioned that every environmental approval is valid for a period of three years and the proponents are bound to approach EPA for the extension in validity period as per Regulation 17 (3) of the Review of IEE/EIA Regulations 2000 but it has been noticed that validity period of the most of the approvals has been expired and the units are working illegally.
Field officers have further directed to furnish complete information against the projects/units operating after expiry of their environmental approvals under regulation 17(3) of the Review of IEE/EIA Regulations, 2000. Report of all such units may be forwarded before August 20, 2019, positively to the Director (P&C), EPA, Punjab Lahore, for action under section 16 of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (Amended 2012), the notification concluded.