II. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF UNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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D. Provincial-level institutions and governance for integration of environmental considerations and development

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1. Planning Environment and Development Department

The Planning, Environment and Development Department includes three sections that deal with issues related to the environment: the Environment Section; the Environment Wing; and EPA. 

(a) Environment Section 

The Environment Section was set up in 1992. Until the establishment of the Environment Wing, the Environment Section was responsible the SPCS process. The main responsibilities of the Environment Section is the scrutiny and approval of projects related to the environment, forestry, wildlife, fisheries and tourism, and preparing and overseeing the implementation of the relevant parts of the Five-Year Development Plans, Perspective Plan and ADP. However, the Section is understaffed and it has no qualified personnel in the fields of environmental planning and natural resource management, and EIAs. 

(b) Environment Wing 

The Environment Wing was established in February 1996. The Environment Wing, which is now the main counterpart in the government for the SPCS Unit, is headed by an Additional Secretary. The main tasks of the Environment Wing are: policy formulation; the preparation and execution of environmentally-related projects; the coordination and implementation of NCS and SPCS; the development and supervision of environmental legislation at the federal and provincial levels; the monitoring and supervision of EPA; the management of funds for sustainable development; and the coordination and implementation of international Conventions on the environment. The Environment Wing acts as the secretariat of the Provincial Environmental Protection Council, while also dealing with National Assembly and Provincial Assembly business relating to the environment and the review of EIAs/IEEs of public sector projects. 

(c) Environmental Protection Agency 

EPA was established in June 1989 under the Physical Planning and Housing Department, but was transferred to the Planning, Environment and Development Department October 1992. The main functions of EPA, as detailed by EPO 1983, are: 

• The enforcement of national environmental quality standards;
• Reviewing EIS/EIA/IEE of private sector development projects and providing appropriate recommendations;
• Establishing and maintaining laboratories to undertake research on various pollutants involved in the degradation of the environment;
• Establishing a survey, surveillance, monitoring, measurement, examination and inspection system to combat environmental pollution and deterioration;
• Coordinating and consolidating the implementation of measures to control pollution with the provincial government and other agencies concerned;
• Conducting a training programme, especially for government functionaries, and industrial management to insure environmental awareness through printed material, seminars, symposia and field visits;
• Providing information and education to the public, through the mass media, on environmental pollution and its remedial measures;
• Preparing and executing projects, under the guidance of the federal agency concerned or the provincial government, related to the prevention of environmental pollution or research on specified aspects of the environment;

So far, EPA has achieved: 

• Surveys of air and noise pollution in Peshawar city;
• A sample survey of petrol pumps with regard to the quality of petrol, the result of which has been a reduction in the adulteration of fuel;
• The transfer of hazardous outdated pesticides from the store of the Plant Protection Department located in a densely populated area of the city;
• The establishment of a laboratory and the purchase of equipment required for air and water pollution research;
• An environmental awareness campaign;
• The initiation of work on protecting the Swat River from pollution;
• Guidance to the Malakand Division Development Authority on wastewater treatment at Hotels along the Swat River;
• The launch of a campaign against excessive noise and vehicle exhaust emissions in collaboration with the traffic police;
• A campaign to phase out the manufacturing of all plastic bags, especially black polythene bags. Thousands of cloth bags have been distributed free of charge among the public to discourage the use of polythene bags;
• The implementation of an urban environment improvement project in cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany;
• The organization of workshops and seminars on effluent guidelines for selected industries such as tanneries, metalworks, chemicals, cement, sugar, and food and beverage producers;
• A review of IEEs/EIAs on the Regi Lalma, Kanjo, Sh. Maltoon Townships projects and industrial development projects, as well as the preparation of guidelines for development projects. 

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