EPA Stands Lull After Serving Notices To Housing Societies Over Breach Of Environmental Laws

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2020 ) :Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was standing lull after it had issued notices to 26 housing societies of the Federal capital for violating the conditions contained in their environmental approvals.

The environmental approvals given by the agency had certain conditions which include proper disposal of solid waste, liquid waste, chemical waste, hazardous materials, construction of sewage treatment plants, rainwater harvesting, ground water recharging etc, and submission of quarterly or monthly progress reports of the projects.

EPA has noticed that the proponents of these projects and developers are neither attending the conditions contained in their environmental approval nor are they submitting compliance and progress reports to us.

All this is causing serious environmental problems like air pollution, polluted water bodies, different diseases, solid and liquid waste issues and cutting of trees in the capital city.

EPA was working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Climate Change was responsible for the implementation of the Pakistan Environmental Act, 1997, as well as the rules and regulations made under it.

Earlier DG EPA Farzana Altaf Shah said all development projects located in the limits of Islamabad Capital Territory were required by the law to obtain environmental approval before commencement by submitting initial Environmental Examination and Environmental Impact Assessment reports to the Pak-EPA.

She added that the agency had taken serious notice of the violation of environmental laws and decided to issue notices to the managements of all housing societies and called upon for personal hearing under Section 16 of the Act to ascertain the reasons for non- compliance of the environmental conditions laid down in environmental approvals of each project.

Moreover, the managements of nine such housing societies had been heard by the EPA and four housing societies were given the Environmental Protection Orders for violation of environmental conditions.

These include Zaraj Housing Group, Margalla View Housing Scheme, Soan Garden Housing Societies and Park view Enclave City, who were directed to immediately install sewage treatment plants, form environmental managements committees, ensure rainwater harvesting as well as ground water recharging and proper collection and disposal of solid waste," she said.

When contacted, the EPA officials for the latest update on the action further initiated against the violators, the officials did not share any information over the matter. However, DG EPA was reported to be on medical leave.

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