Vehicular emission testing: Pak-EPA fails to control air pollution
Vehicular emission testing: Pak-EPA fails to control air pollution
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Despite launching several programmes to make capital pollution-free, Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has failed to control air pollution as hundreds of smoke-emitting vehicles can be witnessed on city roads.Pak-EPA, an attached department of Ministry of Environment, was established in 1984 under the Pakistan Environment Protection Ordinance 1983 and it is responsible to implement Pakistan Environment Protection Act (PEPA) 1997. The PEPA was formulated to protect, conserve, rehabilitate and improve environment, prevent and control pollution and promote sustainable development.Pak-EPA also provides technical assistance to the ministry in formulation of environment policies and programmes. With its head office in Islamabad and a fair number of staff, Pak-EPA announced many projects to control the increasing air pollution in the federal capital. Vehicular emission testing system is one of its projects launched to control the vehicular emissions.Under this project only 31,990 vehicles were tested from May 2005 to April 2008 and 3,667 vehicles were found emitting hazardous CO, CO2 and NO gases against the national environmental quality standards. These vehicles were either challaned or issued red warning stickers.According to Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) officials, around 500,000 vehicles, including vans, trucks, buses and other heavy transport vehicles are presently plying on roads of the capital.According to a Pak EPA survey, more than 2,000 heavy vehicles including trucks and six wheelers, to and from Northern Areas and NWFP also use 15 kilometres long Kashmir Highway as transit passage daily. These diesel-engine vehicles emit thick black smoke containing 8,640 kilogrammes of hazardous suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air every year.Moreover, hundreds of buses to and from different parts of the country use bus stations situated close to residential sectors of 1-8 and G-9 in the capital. Thick black smoke emitted by these vehicles triples the SPM ratio in the city.The ITP officials pointed out loopholes in vehicular emission testing system. They said presently Pak-EPA had only one vehicle-testing laboratory and their number should be increased in order to test maximum number of vehicles plying on roads of city.They said smoke emitting buses and trucks were fined Rs 500 each for violation of environment rules but there was no follow up procedure.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\05\04\story_4-5-2008_pg11_2
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Despite launching several programmes to make capital pollution-free, Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has failed to control air pollution as hundreds of smoke-emitting vehicles can be witnessed on city roads.Pak-EPA, an attached department of Ministry of Environment, was established in 1984 under the Pakistan Environment Protection Ordinance 1983 and it is responsible to implement Pakistan Environment Protection Act (PEPA) 1997. The PEPA was formulated to protect, conserve, rehabilitate and improve environment, prevent and control pollution and promote sustainable development.Pak-EPA also provides technical assistance to the ministry in formulation of environment policies and programmes. With its head office in Islamabad and a fair number of staff, Pak-EPA announced many projects to control the increasing air pollution in the federal capital. Vehicular emission testing system is one of its projects launched to control the vehicular emissions.Under this project only 31,990 vehicles were tested from May 2005 to April 2008 and 3,667 vehicles were found emitting hazardous CO, CO2 and NO gases against the national environmental quality standards. These vehicles were either challaned or issued red warning stickers.According to Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) officials, around 500,000 vehicles, including vans, trucks, buses and other heavy transport vehicles are presently plying on roads of the capital.According to a Pak EPA survey, more than 2,000 heavy vehicles including trucks and six wheelers, to and from Northern Areas and NWFP also use 15 kilometres long Kashmir Highway as transit passage daily. These diesel-engine vehicles emit thick black smoke containing 8,640 kilogrammes of hazardous suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air every year.Moreover, hundreds of buses to and from different parts of the country use bus stations situated close to residential sectors of 1-8 and G-9 in the capital. Thick black smoke emitted by these vehicles triples the SPM ratio in the city.The ITP officials pointed out loopholes in vehicular emission testing system. They said presently Pak-EPA had only one vehicle-testing laboratory and their number should be increased in order to test maximum number of vehicles plying on roads of city.They said smoke emitting buses and trucks were fined Rs 500 each for violation of environment rules but there was no follow up procedure.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\05\04\story_4-5-2008_pg11_2
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