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PESHAWAR, Jan 31 (APP):Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Environment, Pir Musawir Khan, has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the first province in Pakistan to formulate a policy on climate change.
Chairing a meeting regarding the Environmental Protection Agency here Friday, he stated that the provincial government is taking concrete measures to combat environmental pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change.
A Climate Change Committee has been established to ensure the implementation of this policy.
During the briefing, the Special Assistant was informed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly monitors burning of waste in industrial units and hospitals. To control pollution, brick kilns across the province are being shifted to zigzag technology.
Furthermore, the briefing highlighted that pollution control systems have been implemented in nine cement industries and 50 steel industries in the province. Additionally, GIS mapping of 3,600 industrial units has been completed, and a special complaint cell has been set up for public grievances.
A centralized monitoring committee has also been established to take action against industrial units violating EPA regulations. Regional environmental laboratories will soon be established in Abbottabad, Mingora, and Dera Ismail Khan.
The Special Assistant instructed officials to facilitate the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to industrial units while ensuring compliance with environmental laws. He also emphasized the need to collaborate with NGOs and donors working on climate change and environmental issues.