PESHAWAR: The recent directive by Commissioner Peshawar Division, Riaz Khan Mehsud to take stringent action against smoke emitting industries is a great achievement for citizens of Peshawar suffering adverse effects of uncontrolled industrial emissions.
While the vehicular emission in terms of increasing cardiac and respiratory diseases, cancer, deteriorating memory and cognitive functions and loss in economic terms.
These industrial units have been operating without appropriate technology adoption for control of hazardous and life threatening emissions, says SCN in a press statement issued here on Thursday.
Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN) and Peshawar Clean Air Alliance (PCAA) have been making collective efforts towards healthier air quality.
They are presently in the process of installing air monitors donated by philanthropists to generate real time data of air quality in Peshawar, in order to generate an evidence based policy. Besides, public interest litigation has been filed against few industries operating without an NOC and in violation of EPA regulations, which is mandatory under the law. The EPA needs public support to implement the policy of a cleaner city.
These industries have also been challenged in the Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT) for operating against a PHC order which states, “No one shall be allowed to run Industrial Unit without issuance of proper NOC and environmental Management Plan (EPM) from the concerned quarter”.
The provincial governance agencies should ensure that all air polluting industries like Chipboard and steel should strictly adhere to the National Environmental Quality standards NEQS and obtain NOCs from EPA which is mandatory as per KP Environmental Protection Act 2014.
As per EPA sources none of these Factories have obtained mandatory Operational NOC. EPA lab results show some industries to be emitting above 25000 PPM against permissible limit of 300ppm.
SCN-PCAA proposes a broad based commission comprising independent environmental experts from Environmental Engineering Dept. at UET, Experts from Environmental Science Dept. UoP, Environmental Economics expert at IMSciences, public health experts, environment law experts and senior citizens. Renowned environmental expert and advisor to KP government Dr Shafiq ur Rehman is best suited to lead this commission. It should support government and EPA at both regulatory and policy levels.
KP government policy supported by CM and CS towards a healthy environment and strict measures to implement this agenda deserves public support through awareness and advocacy at the grassroots level to make it a success.
Therefore, CSOs plan to support the ongoing clean air drive through public awareness campaigns and media group meetings for a healthy environment and eventually to pass a Clean Air Act KP bill in the assembly.