EPA labs in six districts virtually closed

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency, which is supposed to be responsible for monitoring and controlling air pollution as a regulatory body meant to implement environmental laws, has virtually closed its laboratories established in six districts of the province, Pakistan Today has learned.

After its establishment in 2007, the Punjab EPA launched a project for the establishment of environmental laboratories at Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, and Rahim Yar Khan, which was completed in 2009. All these labs came into force under Section 2 (e) of PEPA-1997 for environment sampling, testing, and analysis, and the department declared these labs as certified under Section 6(k) of PEPA-1997.

Around Rs 200 million were spent on the equipment for the project which was imported from countries such as the US, UK, and Australia. The labs were initially designed to test 58 national environment quality standards (NEQS) out of a total 102 NEQS parameters. After the 18th amendment in the constitution, NEQS were replaced with the Punjab Environment Quality Standards (PEQS).

According to sources, the staff of the laboratories have been called to the EPA headquarters in Lahore and appointed there to prepare environment impact assessment reports.

“At least 20 staffers including lab deputy directors and research officers of the said laboratories have been appointed to review and prepare environment impact assessment reports despite their irrelevant qualifications,” the sources said adding that one of the deputy directors has resigned while another has retired early over his appointment to the headquarters.

Giving the reason for calling officials from other districts, the sources said that some high officials were attempting to prove that the laboratories were not capable of performing up to the mark.

“A scandal of procurement of substandard lab equipment surfaced in 2011 and has been under investigation with the anti-corruption department since then,” the sources said. However, some pieces of equipment were substandard but the remaining were capable to test 35 parametres out of 58.No objection certificates are required from the environmental department before establishing any business and this can be only done when regional labs are fully operational.

Sources said that the laboratories could be made functional by spending small amounts as they only need minor repairs and some chemicals to become fully operational. “As per the environmental lab certification rules of the EPD, the department is responsible for releasing funds to procure the necessary equipment and chemicals,” the source added.

Talking to Pakistan Today, a spokesman of the EPA said that the department hasn’t closed its laboratories. He admitted that some officers appointed at the laboratories had been called to the EPA headquarters in Lahore.

However, he remained reluctant to provide any reason for calling the officers to Lahore. The department was trying to keep all laboratories fully functional, the spokesman added.